All That Heaven Allows Series
by Isabelle
Summary: Re-posted version, complete with new parts and diferent ending. Spike and Buffy are kidnaped by an underground demon council and as the story grows so does their relationship. NOMINATED in the Spiked Awards.
1.

Prelude 

**Prelude** to "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: Spike, Buffy, Angelus and Mr. Travers are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. All other characters are mine. Poem is excerpt from _September 1, 1939_ by W.H. Auden.

-Summary: Buffy and Spike get kidnaped by an underground demon society to be sold for profit in an Auction. As the plot thickens so does thier relationship.

-Author's Note: Please feedback! I love it!

[Isabellebih@yahoo.com][1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"Uncertain and Afraid_

_As the clever hopes expire_

_Of a low dishonest decade:_

_Waves of anger and fear_

_Circulate over the bright_

_And darkened lands of the earth"_

taken from: "September 1, 1939" by W.H. Auden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(June 27, @ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil )_

"Sabah al-hayr!" the man in the black Armani suit said as he entered the conference room. 

The twelve pair of eyes watched him carefully, with suspicion and anticipation. He strolled confidently into the room and sat on the large wine leather chair at the head of the long table. He turned to them with a confident smile on his face, a smile that made them shudder at his malignant capabilities.

All stayed quiet waiting to hear the reason they had all been called. He crossed his legs at the knee, like an educated and rich man would and propped his elbows on the arms of the chair, bringing his hands together in a self-assured grasp. All the while keeping the smile on his face and studying the personalities before him. He knew that although not the eldest in the room, he was the most powerful, and richest for that matter. 

"I _know_ you are all wondering why you have been called here." he said slowly with his Russian accent.

He waited.

No one answered.

It was expected.

"Lets get straight to business then."

His secretary came up behind him and respectfully gave him a control remote. He pressed a button pointing at the other end of the table. 

A screen was lowered for the viewing pleasure of all in the room. 

"I want to do something different this time." he said amused with himself. 

All eyes were still focused on him, he had not given them permission to do other wise.

"As you all know and are aware of, the Auction is coming up soon." he said pointing towards the screen that had produced an image of an enclosed coliseum.

All eyes went to the screen, he had given them permission to do so. 

"This time we will hold the Auction in Luxor, Egypt." he smiled. "A little town away from human civilization, most property and businesses owned by the ancient bloodline of Habu."

He clicked the button again bringing another picture to the site, it was a close up of an ancient temple. 

"This is the Medinet, owned by the Habu family,....here it will held."

There were several skeptics in the room, they all knew the ancient bloodline of Habu, and the ones that knew about it did not trust the demon family. 

"Pardon my intrusion, Moa Kapitan." a voice said.

All eyes fleeted towards the voice. The young man who was probably in his late twenties, and very confident about himself. 

Roderick, at the end of the table smiled inwardly. _The boy had courage_, he thought to himself. 

"Speak" he said.

He stood up slowly but surely, he knew that any show of intimidation would be frowned upon. "Sire, I thought Hadi Habu died last year, Moa Kapitan." He sat down looking directly at Roderick.

"Yes, of course, Lawrence." Roderick said smiling at the courage the young demon had. 

_Just like his father_ . He thought.

"Hadi Habu, died last year, and his title is being carried by the 'Twins of the Prophecy', Kamilah and Sethos Habu." he said ignoring the small gasps that went throughout the room as The Twins of Prophecy was mentioned.

They all knew the prophecy, and they were all afraid. This was predicted to happen once in a millennia, and this was the first mention of the birth of the twin demons. 

"Their birth and livelihood has been kepted a secret for twenty years now." he continued, amused with himself and the power he had over these 'powerful' people. "Sethos is now the righteous prince of the region, and he will be our host for the Auction. The lovely Princess Kamilah will be our hostess." he said looking squarely at all the inhabitants of the room.

There was silence. 

"Well, without further disruptions I will continue with he matter at hand." 

He rose the control to the screen and clicked the button again to reveal a picture of an old man, maybe in his eighties. His eyes were dark with knowledge and wisdom. There was a peace around him that captivated the viewer. He was a wiseman. 

"Qaletaqa," Roderick said studying the picture. "The wise man of the east, presumed dead for ten years now, but found alive hiding in the mountains of Kunklun in China." he said "He should fetch a good price, a couple of millions maybe."

There were several nods in the table and some small smiles with desire of the possession of the old man. 

He clicked the button again and a picture of two men, all dressed in black appeared. They looked around the same age, 30's, one had thick straigth black hair that he had grown down to his waist and it was neatly combed back and wrapped at the nape of his neck. The other had curly brown hair that blended with his darker long beard. There were several gasp at the recognition of the two immortals. 

"Khalid and Jabari." he said. "The immortal Arabic warriors, both almost three hundred years old, both being collected as we speak. "

Some faces paled, many wanted to warn Roderick that there was no way to kill immortals, unless the killer was immortal, but they realized Roderick had no intention of killing any of his prisoners, profit was the name of the game and this pair was going to bring a hefty amount. 

Roderick waited to see if anyone would comment on the immortal prospects and was satisfied when his authority was not challenged. 

_Good, they finally accepted who the Master is_ . He thought. _I'll deal with Lawrence later ._

He clicked through various others, some were demons of rarity, others were humans that held high political power, others were royalty, others were outlaws.

The moment had come to show the 'special' pair that would be Auctioned together. This was to be the central attraction of the entire event that lasted for weeks. 

Roderick smiled anticipating their reactions to the surprise. He stood and walked closer to the screen.

The occupants were stiff with fear, they all knew that the best came first, and the last was the highlight. The last was always the guarantee that the event would either be a success or a failure. 

He clicked the button.

Up came a picture of two figures. The first figure was a young man, not too tall, lean and well built, with handsome features, a sharp jaw that represented character, and fiery blond-white hair. He was smoking a cigarette, leaning against a tree looking at the other figure. He was dressed from head to toe in black, a long leather duster covering his figure. He was smirking, as if the world did not amuse him. 

The figure with him was a young girl, maybe twenty years of age. She had cascading unnatural blonde hair, sharp green eyes, and a stubborn posture. She was extremely petite, showing off her curvy figure with tight black pants and a low cut blue shirt that enhanced her breast. She was holding a stake in her hand, menacing the man she was standing in front of. She seemed irritated and mad at the look the peroxide blonde was giving her.

"Born William Renthrop, AKA. William the Bloody, AKA. Spike, AKA. Childe of Angelus, the scourge of Europe, AKA. Master Vampire." Roderick said staring intently at the picture. "One of the greatest fighters of the old clans, known as the Slayer of the Slayers. Age: Over two hundred years old."

He turned to face the shocked room. 

"One problem, that will not be a problem for long,........about six months ago he was captured by the American government, a branch known as the 'Initiative', and was inserted with a computer chip that prevents him from hurting any human. So with his canines cut, he joined forces with the one and only..." he pointed at the girl "Slayer" he said.

The room gasped audibly at this and low murmurs started to be heard in the room. 

Roderick smiled. 

The last time a Slayer had been captured was two hundred years ago, and she had escaped before they were able to sell her. It also cost the life of two master vampires and several powerful royals, so the Slayers were never considered for the Auction.

"Don't you think you are playing in dangerous grounds here, Roderick?" a stern voice asked. "The Slayer is protected by the Powers and here on earth, by the Council of Watchers, I am sure even you would not welcome their wrath for a couple of millions."

Roderick waited for Ramona Calderon to finish.

He had expected the demon to protest against the Slayer, and the proper precautions had been taken. He again pressed a different button on the control and the door immediately flew open, and two large guards, who were clearly anything but human, came in and dragged a screaming Calderon out of the room.

The rest of the spectators watched in horror as the four hundred year old Manic demoness was hauled to her execution. 

"There now" said Roderick when the doors had shut again and it was silent once more. "Yes, I thought about the council getting a bit pissed off that we would take their jewel, but after some adequate negotiations Buffy Anne Summers was promised for the Auction."

He turned to one of the men who were sitting on the table. 

The man had remained silent and unammused by the current happenings. 

He looked up at Roderick and nodded. "Yes, of course, her time has come." Quentin Travers said. The council representative kepted a stern face showing his disgust with the rebellious Slayer.

Roderick smiled. 

"Excellent, thank you Mr. Travers." he walked back to his leather seat, and got comfortable looking back up at the expectant faces of the men and women. "When I say a party, I guarantee a party." he smiled. 

"I suggest all of you hold to your end of the bargain and I am sure things will run their smooth course with due time."

He smiled as the bodies started to stand up. "Lawrence, my boy, come here."

The handsome, dark haired man walked nervously towards Roderick. "Moa Kapitan?" he asked bowing his head slightly in sigh of reverence.

Roderick studied him for a moment. He was definitely handsome, strong set jaw, tall-about 6'2, and clear green eyes that were very much expressive. His shoulders were broad and sculpted underneath his navy silk suit that the Master admired. His hair was smoothly combed back with gel and he was clearly noted to be of Italian decent. 

"How old are you now Maltevilla?" he asked studying the man carefully.

"Just turned twenty-six." he said respectfully. He did not fidget, not an inch, no movements, just posing before the coveted power. 

"Twenty-six?" Roderick repeated.

Lawrence nodded. 

"You have strong character, like your father before you."

He nodded in thanks.

"How"s the family business?" Roderick asked. But not interested at all.

Lawrence held his breath, he knew to get in, one must prove oneself. "Are you really interested, sir?"

Roderick smiled, he liked this boy, he had balls of brass. 

"Good show, Maltevilla." he paused "I have a special project for you, do you think you can handle it?" he asked cautiously. 

"Whatever pleases, Moa Kapitan." Lawrence said without hesitation. His demon inside rejoicing at the opportunity.

"The Slayer." Roderick said pointing at the still up picture of Buffy and Spike. "She's beautiful, no?"

Lawrence looked at the petite blonde and had to truly agree. The girl was gorgeous and if she wasn't a Slayer he wouldn't have given a second thought of showing his interest.

"Yes, sir, very beautiful."

Roderick smiled as he watched the young man stare at her appreciatively. 

"Good." he said and Lawrence looked back at the now standing figure. "What I need for you to do is simple." He said smiling.

Roderick went on to tell the younger man his responsibility. 

Lawrence was ecstatic, this was the simplest and most enjoyable assignment Roderick had ever had him do. He would have done it without him even asking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:Isabellebih@yahoo.com



	2. 

part1

**In the Beginning, We Were Two** - Part 1 to "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. The lyrics are "A Stroke of Luck" by Garbage. 

-Rated: PG-13 (This part, each part is indiviadually rated)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Hanging by threads of palest silver_

_I could have stayed that way forever_

_Bad blood and ghosts wrapped tight around me_

_Nothing could ever seem to touch me_

_I lose what I love most_

_Did you know I was lost until you found me?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(July 4 -11 PM, @ Sunnydale, CA)_

"You could've at least helped!" Buffy screamed at him. 

Her hair was rumpled and her jeans were ripped at the butt crack. She was furious. 

He smirked at her.

"Look at my jeans! Look at my hair!" she continued. "All you did was stand there, like the corspe you are!"

Pointing her stake at his heart, he looked disconcerned at her threat. 

"And miss the look on your face when your knickers became exposed?" Spike asked looking at her mischievously. " 'Sides, teach you to wear clothing that tight, you looked cramped as it was, should welcome de' release."

She waved her hands in the air in exasperation.

"I have a DATE!" she screamed. "And you knew it, cause I told you I din't want to get dirty! And,.....and,......and you stood there while I got the shit beat out of me by the 10 foot demon!!"

_'Cor, she's beautiful when she's angry and dirty_. He thought smiling. 

"What I am going to tell Rieley when he comes to my door and I look like I got struck down and beaten?" she asked pacing.

"You were struck down and beaten, pet." he said lighting a cigarette.

"Because of you! You, you, you..."

"You... what Slayer? Spit it out!" he said exasperated. "I did NOT volunteer in this bleedin' assigment, I told you very clear that I was not going to fight a fungus demon, but YOU dragged my arse out here against my will."

"You asshole!!" she cried. He was the only man in the face of this planet that could get her as upset as she was in that moment. "You did it on purpose! You perstiferous Brit!"

"Whatever makes you feel better, Slayer" he paused and looked at her infuriating green eyes that were clouded with anger. "Can we go now?"

"ARGHHH!!!!" she screamed leaving him behind.

He watched her walk away staring very appreciatively at her shaking ass that was ripped to expose soft flesh and red stringy lace thong. He felt his shaft harded and groaned. 

She heard him and turned around realizing she was exposing her butt right at his face. Then looked at the bulge in his pants and gasped.

"You perv!" she screamed. "Give me your coat." she demanded. 

"What? NO!!!" he said slightly embarresed that she had caught his errection. 

"You were looking!" she said stirnly.

"Well, you had your arse in my face." he said wrapping his coat tightly around himself.

There was no way that he was shedding his coat to save her face. _'Sides, mate, not a bad view._

"I did.....whatever, Spike, I said give me your coat." she said holding out her hand.

"No bleedin' way!" he said aggravated. "Tis' not my problem."

"In about three seconds it's gonna be your problem!" she cried. "And let me not get started on how you stood by while a nearly got massacred."

"Slayer, don't give me empty threats, and don't acuse me for your lack of ability to handle your calling properly."

That was it! She had hit his last nerve. How dare she even think that he was some wipped nancy-boy like his Sire or even Captain Peanut, who wagged behind her like a freggin' lap dog? He held his point. 

"Spike, you give me that coat right now or I swear to God I'll make flyers and put them on every bar and every crypt saying how Spike's chipped and is helping the Slayer destroy his own kind." she said slowly but menacingly. 

He walked closer to her.

"You wouldn't dare." he said glarring at her.

"Try me." she stated. Her lips were flat and hard with anger. 

They stood there looking at each other, with daggers in thier eyes. 

"FINE!!" he said, finally giving up. 

There was no way he could loose the last bit of his reputation. He took his coat off and shoved it at her.

"And they say you can't bargain with a devil." she said accepting his coat and covering up her embarassment. 

The soft leather fit her a bit big, but it smelled of cigarettes and _him._

_At least my ass isn't showing_ . She thought. 

He was furious. 

"C'mon, you have to pick up the box Mom left for you at home and I have a date to improvise for." She said as if nothing had happened and started walking towards her home.

He followed her, looking at how nice she fit in his duster. "Yeah we really wouldn't want to disappoint Captain' Peanuts." he said sarcastically trying to cover the slight jealousy he got from imagining Buffy in the Slug's arms. 

"Jeaulous much?" she asked teasingly. 

_A stroke of luck or a gift from God?_

_The hand of fate or devil's claws?_

_From below or saints above?_

_You came to me_

"You'd want me to, wouldn't you, luv?" He asked trying to cover his true desires by placing the situation into their very well rehersed cat and dog ruotine.

YES!!, he wanted her,........ever since that blasted spell. It was all Red's fault and he didn't know whether to kill the bint or to thank her.

He knew that once he had her in his arms there was no turning back, and all those feelings that had been hidding, yet growing, throughout the years he had known her, had all spontaneously combusted that one day when they were'engaged'.

Did she feel the same? 

Probably not. 

Who would...after the Angel episode? He too would stay clear of vampires, if he were her. But he wasn't her, he was a souless demon who didn't have a soul but loved with all his undead heart.

The pain of Drusilla sometimes re-surfaced but it would be driven to a simmer at the thought of Buffy and the memories of how _happy_ he had made her that day. She had smiled, to him, at him, for him. He was the cause of that smile, and even if it was a spell, even if it were for a couple of hours, even if it was manipulated, it was all for him

Yes, they acted like love-sick school children, but it felt wonderful. He remembered that they thought the world was going to end, yet he was ok, because she was with him, because he had her by his side.

Eversince that day she was his illusion, his desire. He had memorized her face completely.

Everytime he saw her with Rieley it hurt him. More than what words could describe. Because all he had to do was picture that day, when it was him, that one sweet day were the twinkle in her green eyes was all for him and no one else. 

That's when he truly knew that he was a souless demon, because he was selfish, because he wanted her entirely, and was not going to accept that he could never have her. He had come to one unavoidable conclusion; she must either love him or die.

He couldn't take the thought of her bouncing around, pretending life was bloody wonderful while he was deteriorating inside, his dead organs were crumbling with need of her, a taste of her, the feel of her. 

Again, if Red had not done the bloody spell it wouldn't be this bad, but because he already knew unconditional love from her and to her...there was no turning back. 

_Here comes the cold again_

_I feel it closing in_

_It's falling down and_

_All around me falling_

"Hello!!! Are you even listening to me?" Buffy asked exasperated, looking at him. 

He hadn't realized that he had stoped walking in the real earth and had gone off wondering into Buffy-Brooding land. He had to stop this or he was going to run into his Sire one of these days. 

"You're doing this on purpose, I kn..."

"BLOODY HELL, WOMAN!!!! Would you shut yer' bleedin' trap." he roared interrupting her , walking pass her towards her house. 

He knew that he had snapped at her, but what the hell was a man supposed to do? There she was looking sexy and messy and to top it off he had seen the rip in her pants that showed her golden skin, and to top all of that she was burried in HIS coat, all snuggly and warm.

"Hey! What the hell is YOUR problem?" she said clearly pissed off at his sudden change of behavior. 

"My Problem?" he asked not looking at her or stopping.

"Yes, your problem."

"My problem is.....oh fuck it all to hell, woman." he had reached his last string and he could tell so had she. 

That was the problem. Both were stubborn as a mule, both had short tempers, both were impatient, both hated to wait, both needed action to feel alive, both had been hurt too deeply by love to ever love truly and completely again. 

They were both passionate creatures, because both knew they were the best at what they did. Both lived with death knocking at their doors, and both had lived the majority of their lives with power over others. To surrender that power was to be weak for the first time in their life.

She was born to kill him, and he had to kill her to survive. 

"OK, Spike, I don't know what has crawled it self up your ass and died, but I know this; I NEED to get home because in case you have failed to hear my 'yap' I happen to have a DATE!!!!!" she screamed.

She didn't know what was bothering him and she certaintly was not going to act like she actually cared. Because she didn't. He was completely the most rude person that she had ever met. She stomped to her house snuggling in his coat and unconsciously drinking in his smell. She shrugged the feelings off her head, she was not going to be bait for that trap again. 

_You say that you'll be there to catch me_

_Or will you only try to trap me_

_These are the rules I make_

_Our chains were meant to break_

_You'll never change me_

There he was all confident and cocky. Smoking his cigarettes, that were repulsing, with that tight black shirt and those tight black pants.

She growled. 

She hated him, the sight of him, the smell of him, the thought of him. She should just stake him and save herself the misery of having to work with him, walking next to her late night roundevoux, she hated it.

This was all HIS fault! How dare he! YUK!!! Looking all pissed, his cheekbones accented. 

Why din't Riley's cheekbones accent themselves? Why din't Rieley wear all black?

_Oh right because you're dating Riley, not Spike_. She told herself. _And why the hell would you want to date Spike anyways?..........Its not like you could take him anywhere. _

They din't speak to each other, the cloud of tension was too much to bear, they were afraid they would tell each other something they would regret. When they were a few blocks from her house it started to pour down rain.

That's right, the night couldn't get any worst. 

Both charged at full speed to her house. By the time they got there, it was hopeless, they were drenched. 

Her hair clung to her face and the little mascara she was wearing had smudged underneath her eyes, making it seem like she has cried her eyes out. Her lips were pale and trembling and she was sniffling wildly. 

_Great all I need is a cold! _She thought.

She turned to look at him, once they went through the front door. 

He looked eatable. All wet, his thin black T-shirt hugged his muscular lean chest, outlinning his perfect six pack and his well defined biceps. His jeans clung to his tight legs and the definition of his well-endowed ass was visible. His hair was soaked falling lazily on his forehead. He looked paler than usual and his eyelashes seemed heavy over his blue eyes.

_Don't ask me why_

_Don't even try_

She had to restrain herself from reaching out to comb his bleached hair out from his forehead. To control herself she didn't move. 

They continued to stare at each other neither saying a word, both wet, both upset with sexual frustration. It was too much to bear, the silence was blinding.

"Slayer,......you're shivering." He said noticing her trembling lips and her hands tightly grasping the top of his coat.

She broke the trance and noticed her shaking body, quivering out of need from the frozen coolness that ran through her body. 

He moved towards her worried that she might get a cold in all her wet clothes. "Pet, why don't you go change?" he said gently. "You have a date, remember?" Trying to hide the bitterness of his voice at the thought of her in peanut's arms. 

"Date,....Riley,..." She murmured to herself. "Oh my God I have a date!" she suddenly realized. 

Shit! What the hell was she thinking, Riley was going to show up any minute and she couldn't go to the Bronze looking like this!!

"Yes, with your boyfriend, remember?" he asked almost amuzed at how easily she had forgotten _corn-on-the-cob boy_. "Go change. And get me my box so I can leave you alone."

She diggested his words. 

"Ok, wait here, the box is upstairs." she turned from him, still wrapped tightly in the soft leather, that even thought it was wet it smelled of him,.....and that somehow warmed her. 

The phone wrung loudly. Both jumped startled by the loud intrusion. 

"Hello?" she asked into the receiver."Oh hi Riley.......yeah, I know the rain......yeah I got caught in it.......you're sure?.......no, I don't mind.....no, don't worry about it......yeah, it's just that I got wet and I'm cold......yeah that's a good idea.....no I'll be fine, I'll just make myself some soup or hot cocoa and dive for the bed......don't be silly I'll be fine....ok then, I've gotta go.....Riley......I said don't worry about it.....I'll see you tomorrow....ok....miss ya......me too.....bye now....ok..bye." she hung up the phone and wondered in to the living room were she knew Spike was at. 

_A stroke of luck or a gift from God?_

_The hand of fate or devil's claws?_

_From below or saints above?_

_You came to me_

_Here comes the cold again_

_I feel it closing in_

_It's falling down and_

_All around me fallin_

She dropped the phone when she found a half naked, wet Spike trying to dry himself up. He got startled and turned to face her. She was sure her face had given her away. 

She was definetly salivating.

He was gorgeous. All chiselled and pale, but a beautiful pale, he was lean and looked like a copy of _David_. All confused, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and satisfy the burning sensation growing between her legs. 

_Oh Shit ._ Was all she could come up with, all her mind saw was chest, abs, arms, neck, back, ass.

"Slayer....you're still shakin' like a leef." he said noticing her admiration for his body. "And you dropped the phone."

_And he scores! Taking the shirt off was a winner, mate! _He thought happily to himself.

"Yeah, I am gonna go change,....and then I am gonna give you coat,.....and..." she knew she had something else to do but her mind was doing the limbada without her. 

"da' box?" he asked. This is too much, she was babling!

"Yes!! Of course, BOX, you want your box, the one my mother left for you, with things, inside the box, and its yours, its upstairs in my mom's room, your box, that is, and now I am a shivering rambling slayer who is about to catch a cold in her own living room.

_What the hell? It's only Spike!_ She said to herself.

"Luv, why don't you change, take your time, I'll be fine, I can wait." he said trying to ignore the bulge in his pants at the thought of her getting nervous around her.

"I'll be back, I'll.....mmmm,....there might be a shirt that's dry so you can change in to something dry." she said. 

_And so I can regain my motor skills. GOD! Riley is definetely NOT like THAT! OK, good thoughts about boyfriend who actually cares about you and doesn't have chiselled chest......Run....upstairs.....NOW. _

She bolted up the stairs shivering in cold and embarrassment.

"Thanks!" he screamed watching her flush further and run in humiliation. Maybe hunting this fungus demon was an idea sent from Lucifer himself!

_Falling, falling_

_Falling, falling_

_Falling, falling_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike paced downstairs waiting for Buffy to change into something warm and comfortable. He overheard her talking with the whelp and it was apparent that the date was cancelled. 

_Good._ He thought

He knew at a certain point he was being unfair to her. She really did deserve a happy life in the sun,....but then again, he was a selfish-souless demon who wanted to hump her against the closest wall. 

The rain outside was getting heavier and windier. He was loathing going out there to his crypt. 

Maybe she had an umbrella he could borrow, he knew asking her to stay here for the night was pushing it. After all, her mum was not home. She had told him Joyce had left that morning to San Francisco for a very important purchase. 

So here he was with a shivering, naked Slayer just a few steps from him and he couldn't do anything. 

The fates were really paying him back for centuries of shameless tortures and killings. 

He was sitting on the love seat, resting his forearms to his knees when he felt it. Something was wrong.

He stood up and started smelling the air. But the rain had drenched any possibility of tracking the sensation. He frowned when the lights went off.

Yep, something was definelty wrong. 

He stood up abruptly walking towards the kitchen to look out the window. When out of the corner of his eye he saw a moving shadow. It was brief but he knew he had not immagined it. 

It was almost as if a dark cloud had settled itself around the house, trapping them inside. He thought quickly and grabbed the phone.

The line was dead. 

"Slayer!" he screamed. "Get down here!"

Buffy felt the sensation right before the lights went off. Something was wrong, her Slayer senses screamed it. She quickly got dressed and was slipping on her shoes when she heard Spike scream for her. 

Yes, something was terribly wrong, he sounded too worried. 

Spike down stairs had a two second warning when all the windows in her kitchen exploded. He instinctively ducked covering his face and heart. Pieces of glass embeded themselves throughout his chest, arms and back. The scent of his own blood was thick in the air. 

He saw them coming in from the openning that had been caused by the breakage. People, at least they looked human, all dressed in black from head to toe, ski mask that covered thier features, and tranquilizer guns at hand.

Spike bolted immediately up the stairs to prevent Buffy from coming downstairs. 

"Spike, what happened?" she screamed openning her bedroom door, when she head the sound of breaking glass. She walked out the door and saw a blood-covered Spike racing up the stairs.

He reached the foot of the stairs in two seconds with his vampire speed, but felt the sharp needle pierce his skin on his lower back. He looked up and saw Buffy comming down with a look of horror on her face.

"Go up!" Was all he managed to tell her before he collapsed on the stairs, his vision going black and his muscles not responding. 

"SPIKE!!" She screamed in horror. 

It happened in three seconds, she saw him collapse, all covered in blood, she saw the long dart on his bloody back, she saw a man with a gun who aimed at her, she felt a hard needle going into her leg, and the last thing she remembered was falling face first on top of an uncounscious Spike. 

_Shit._ Was all her brain registered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone on top of the fine oak table rang. 

"Yes?" 

"We have them." the voice said.

"Excellent, begin transportation." the Russian man said. With that he hung up.

Roderick smiled and looked at the woman who was in the dark room with him.

"You see, my lady, I told you there was nothing to worry about." Roderick smiled at the exotic beauty that was standing in front of the fire. 

She smiled gracefully and turned to him. "Again, I tell you, darling, a slayer is a delicate mater." she walked up to him. "I never doubt yout capabilities, just your ability to control the situation."

"You asked for a challenge, give me an opportunity to prove you wrong, Princess." he said smiling up at her. 

She met his eyes and held his gaze.

She was the only one who could do that to him, the essence of her power was mystifying, even to him. 

"Very well, but if important causualities come out of this, the blood is in your hands." she said turning around to walk back to were she had been standing. But paused and turned her head to him. "Not that you would mind." she said smiling at the vampire. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing she remembered when her brain started working again, was the shivering pain that was going through her body. She was shaking. And the pain! Oh God, the pain! It started at the tip of her head and shot to her toes. She felt like she had been ran over with a train. 

The next thing her body did was realize that she was lying on the hard floor, face flat on the cold tile. 

She groaned. 

_Spike! _She suddenly remembered, he was hurt, someone had shot him, wait...... _Someone shot me!_

She forced herself to open her eyes to look at her surroundings. She heard a soft voice, but she couldn't identify it.

"Buffy." it said, but so far away that it was almost singing to her. Then something grasped her shoulder lightly and shook her gently. Even though it was gentle it hurt like hell and she moaned loudly. 

"Give it a while, the pain will go away." The voice said.

"I am I dead?" she whispered quietly. Trying to get her visibility back, but all she could see was multi-colored dots that were dancing in front of her eyes.

The voice chuckled.

She knew that chuckle. "Spike?" she said hoasely, her eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room. She saw a face, yep, it was him. His platinum head shinned in the dark room. 

"No, pet, you're not dead." he said trying to help her stand up.

She grasped his shoulders still dizzy from whatever drug they had shot them with. She realized that she was wearing his coat and she looked down at herself amazed, she clearly remembered taking it off and placing it on top of her bed. 

"Why am I wearing your coat?" she asked confused. 

"You were trembling." 

She nodded. "How long was I out?"

"Couldn't tell you, I just got up 'bout an hour ago, m'self." he said still holding her by the shoulder, because she looked like she was going to flop back down. 

She lifted her hand to reasure him that she had her balance. "I'm fine." she said.

"Sure?" he said looking at her lazy eyes.

She nodded. 

He let her go. And she lost her balance, but he caught her in time before she hit the floor. 

She reached out and weakly grabbed his forearms. "What the hell did they give us?" she asked annoyed that she couldn't get her strength back. 

"I've got no idea." he said "Lean back against the wall." 

She complied and he let her go once he saw she steadied herself in indian style sitting possition. 

"But whatever it was, it must have knocked us out for days." he said standing up and looking around the dark cell. 

She felt her brain functioning better and looked around the room. 

"Were are we?" she asked not really expecting an answer. "Have they fed you?" she asked worried that he may become demented by bloodlust.

He looked around some more. "I've got no idea were the bloody hell we' at." he looked down at her. She seemed to regain her color a bit. "But they fed us."

She looked up at him questioning his answer. What type of human would kidnap a Slayer and a Vampire and know that he had to be fed blood. 

He answered her by showing her the inside of his elbow were there was traces of injection tracks, nasty ones too. 

"Ouch!" she muttered. She hated needles. She hoped she hadn't been probed by any siringes. She slid one of her arms out of his coat to check, and there it was, mean tracks of an IV. Her shoulders slumped. "I hate needles." she said under her breath.

"Yeah, well I am just afraid of what they put in us." he said honestly. 

"Spike, does anybody have any grudges against you?" she asked wondering if this was all his fault. She had to blame somebody. By the look of her surrounding it was definetely not a government brach like the Initiative.

It was more like a run down prison. There were two small cots, with mattresses two inches thick, and extremely dirty.

_I am not sleeping there_. She thought to herself. The floor, though old, was relatively clean, no rats or roaches, that was always good. There was a small mirror nailed on the wall, next to it was a small door that she could only guess would be a closet of some sort. The main door that spelled thier escape was pure iron, she could tell. Even with both her and Spike hiting it with all their supernatural strength, would not bend the steel.

"Leave it up to you to think this is all my fault." he said shaking his head in disbelief and taking a seat at the edge of one of the cots. 

Buffy shruggled in annoyance, it was no more his fault than it was hers, but for now all they could do was wait. 

Rescue mission, escape mission, something. She couldn't just sit around waiting like a damsel in distress.

He felt the same, he wanted to rip the bloody door from its socket. But even he recognized the the limits of his strength. He fell back on the thin mattress to prevent himself from getting claustrophobic.

To be continued....................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	3. 

part2

**Tamed Wild Dogs**- Part 2 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Joss Weddon and the WB. Poems are excerpts from _Was he Married? _and _Pretty _by Stevie Smith . Lyrics "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse.

-Rated: Pg-13 (Language, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Second part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasen't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think, I am far from done, many surprises ahead! My email is [bih80@yahoo.com][1]

(P.S.) I want to thank my roomate, Karla for doing Grammar check on this piece!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_But there is no sufferinf like having made a mistake_

_Beacause of being of an inferior make._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_(July 5 - 10:30 pm@ Sunnydale, CA)_

Sitting like they had done so many countless days and nights. Researching and pondering over the latest evil that was threatening to open the Hellmouth.

That was their job, that's what they did.

What person could actually say that by the time they were twenty they had been kidnaped (various times), had their life threatened, seen high school friends die before them, seen creatures science would deny, had to dust a person they previously knew, or prevented to apocalypse? 

Not very many, but with all their trials and tribulations, all HIS trials and tribulations, his fingers were shaking violently in nervousness. Xander's thoughts rambled on about all the possible explanations for the situation.

The scooby gang was gathered at the Magic Shop.

Their new Slayer head quarters. The problem? No Slayer.

That morning Willow had gone to pick up Buffy, they were supposed to study for European Lit when she found Buffy's house in a chaotic, bloody mess.

She remembered looking for Buffy's body while her own body shivered in shock, she even looked for Spike's dusty ashes, she knew that he had to pick up a box at Buffy's place that Joyce had left for him. But body nor ashes came up.

There was blood all over the kitchen floor, and Xander had collected some just in case they had a way of knowing who or what it belonged to.

But as of the moment, all they had was a shaken crowd, a petrified boyfrined, a pissed of Ripper, and a unrully mother. 

They were getting no where. 

The only thing that gave sometype of a sign was the pile of wet clothes by Buffy's bed, as if she had come in from the rain and changed. 

Riley was growing uneasier by the moment, he had been the last one to talk to her and she had not mentioned Spike being in the house with her, so that means that she must have been attacked alone.

The problem was that there was a tossed pack of cigaretts on the living room floor and the vampire was no where to be found.

At this moment all the men in the room thought that Spike's chip had somehow malfunctioned and he had attacked Buffy.

The women thought that both he and Buffy were in danger.

The tension was growing in the small shop, and it all centered on abduction, murder, kidnaping,.........you know the usuals for 'Sunnyhell'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Desperate for changing_

_Starving for truth_

_Closer to where I started_

_Chasing after you_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(July 6 @ the prison)_

Buffy's eyes were closed as she leaned her head against the wall she had proped herself on. Her annoyance at the clickling sound was growing to its intensity. 

"Cut it out." she said looking at Spike who was keeping himself amused by taping the tip of his keys to the metal pole at the end of the cot. 

He cocked his head slightly and looked at her with out stoping his movements.

"Make me." he said with out an expression.

She sighted and rolled her eyes. "I really don...."

Her words were interrupted when a movement was heard outside thier cell door. 

Spike nearly jumped out of the bed and placed his ear on the door to see if he could make out what the commotion was about. 

Buffy followed him but jumped back when the metal door began to open. After being cooped in there for hours she needed to go out, especially to the ladies. Though her bodily pain had left her she felt sticky and dirty, not a good feeling.

Spike was in fighting mode, as was Buffy. Whomever came through the door would be sorry they even thought or considered their kidnap. But who ever came to the door was prepared. 

The man stood there looking at them in their semi-squating possition. He smiled. 

"Fighters to the ends, eh?" He said. 

Spike did not like him, his Arabic accent giving away his dark-skinned nationality. He was not a tall man nor skinny or fat. He was average in both ways. 

The man reminded Spike of a weasel. Slick, sticky, fingers were written on this man's face and he was reading him like a book. He took orders from a superior and played dirty and low-life. Reminded Spike alot of a minion, he snorted. 

The two demons who stood behing him was the reason Buffy and Spike decided that it was a better idea to only attack when attacked. 

Buffy shivered at the apearance of the two gigantic figures that were hoovering over 'Ali Ababa'. They were Feoral demons. Too strong for her taste. 

"Who the hell are you? And what the hell are we doinf here?" she asked looking at the man and demons with anger that pierced the room.

"The name's Pili, I am the warren here." Spike definitely did not like him, he was a 'pisser. 

"You are in the outskirts of Luxor." he continued and streched out his arms to 'show off ' the place. 

"Question remains unanswered." she stated, clearly annoyed.

"Egypt." Spike said, his thoat was making a distinctive growling noise that even took Buffy by surprise.

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise and anger. "EGYPT!!!?????" she screamed. "What the FUCK are we doing in Egypt?"

Spike sensed Buffy was in the brink of loosing her cool so he reached up and gently grabbed her shoulder in reassurance never taking his eyes off Pili and the demons before them.

She welcomed his coolness. It calmed her ready-to-kill nerves. Whatever happened she knew Spike and her had to stick together if they even had a chance of going back home.

_I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

"Little Spitfire aren't you, Slayer?" Pili asked his smile had faded.

Spike growled.

Buffy was about to give him a piece of her mind but he din't let her.

"Ready for the tour?" Pili asked.

"Of our _Prison?_" Buffy asked him venomously.

"Of course." Pili simply replied smirking. 

Spike took his hand of her shoulder and motioned for her to follow the weasel. Reluctantly she followed Pili while Spike stood behind her, two demon at his feet. 

They steped out of the dark room into a darker hallway. Spike took in his sorroundings and frowned. The place was demon and vampire proof. 

"Escape is a word of fantasy, so don't dream about it, the last creature to escape the tunels of Medinet was almost two hundred years ago." Pili said conversationaly.

"You shouldn't have told me that, I have a way of defying the odds." Buffy told him.

Pili stopped walking and turned around to face her, his black eyes bore into her. "So do we." he replied.

She lifted up her chin in defiance and met his hard gaze. "Kidnapping me was your first mistake, kidnapping Spike was your second, telling us were we are at was the third, and giving me hope was the fourth." defiantly she continued. "I'll say your chances of defying the odds are dwindled by a fourth."

Pili's mouth sligthly raised in a weasel smile, never leaving her gaze. He regarded her features. "A lot of power in such a small pretty thing." he said looking over her figure. He leaned in further, "What would hapen if the Power were to leave?"

Buffy almost gasped as her eyes grew wide with fear. She still had vivid pictures of last year and how defenceless she was when the council had taken her strenght. She looked up at the cold black eyes that screamed he was as serious as serious could be. 

Spike sensed her reaching her breaking point and steped in between her and Pili, breaking the eye contact. His blue eyes looked at the shorter man before him. He din't smell human. 

Pili looked at the vampire in front of him. "Don't worry Spike, you are not going to be left behind." he said not amused by the blue stare. "We have doggie treats for you too." 

Spike said nothing for a while and continued his menacing stare. "Who yer' workin' for, Weasel?"

Pili smiled. "Funny you should ask, and you'll know, but not now." With that he spun around and continued down the hall. 

Buffy placed her hand on the back of Spike's black T-shirt. He turned to look at her, she looked frightned. Whatever Pili had told her hit a nerve and she looked like a small fifteen year old who was scared of her parent's wrath.

_Forgetting all I'm lacking_

_Completely incomplete_

_I'll take your invitation_

_You take all of me_

Spike took her arm that was wrapped in his coat and pushed her to follow next to him after Pili. 

"I can't have you breaking down on me, like that, Slayer." he said quietly as they walked down the dark hall that seemed infinite. 

Buffy's muscles tensed up and she looked at him. "Spike, if they take my strenght I am helpless." her eyes were still wide with fear, the memories bitting at her thoughts. 

"Hey! What's that talk?" he said noticing the fear that was sweltering throughout her pores. "We'll have none of that." He squeezed his arm in reassurance. "K'?"

Buffy didn't answer but welcomed his support with a small nod.

After all, they were two wild dogs that have been captured.

All their life, taught to fence off each other and then all of the sudden thrown in a jumble that had to force them to work together. 

She sighted. Away from the hellmouth, yet its presence was darkening and overwelming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(July 6 @ Lost Angeles, CA)_

"Angel Investigation, Good Afternoon, how may I help you?" Cordilia said too enthusiastically sarcastic into the receiver.

Angel gave her a piercing glanze. Maybe this 'politeness' conversation had its repercussions. He frowned at her sarcasm. _That's Cordy for you. _he thought.

He turned to leave.

"Oh, its just you, Giles." Cordilia said sinking into her chair, there was no trace of the previously enthusiastic girl Angel had just seen.

At the name 'Giles', Angel froze and turned to face a worried Cordilia.

_Buffy_. Was the only thing that came to Angel's mind. He knew by way Cordy was adverting his eyes that something was wrong. 

"OK, Giles, clam down, let me put Angel on the phone." She said.

Angel almost snatched the phone from her hand in lightening speed but she didn't let him and held the receiver behind her back.

"Cordilia..." Angel said in desperation. 

She looked at him and met his hard gaze. 

"Calm yourself down, Angel." she reminded him.

At times, Angel forgot what a strong person she really was underneath all the Gucci talk. It was moments like this that she reminded him of who he was. 

"You are a detective now, remember?!" she said, slowly bringing the phone to his waiting hand. 

He took it from her in a more calm manner , but his eyes never left hers as Giles explained all that Angel was dreading to hear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had made too many turns and Buffy no longer knew were they were at. The more they walked the cleaner and nicer the place seemed. Almost as if they had been brought out of the darkness and into the light. 

Next to her Spike was concentrating on memorizing the place and she could tell by the way his forehead was slightly wrinkled and the way his eyes darted around thier surroundings. 

She amazed herself, at times, at how she could read his facial expressions and know exactly what he was thinking. Although no longer holding on to her arm, his pressence next to her gave her the strength she needed to remind herself that; she was the Slayer and she did not take no crap from nobody, especially someone as, _(what was it that Spike had called him....weasel?_) weasely as Pili. 

She frowned at her thoughts and Spike noticed, he gave her a look that she knew all too well. 

That look was the "Don't worry, pet." look. She had to enjoy this one she had only seen it a few times. 

_I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

But the tension in his jaw was evident; he was as worried as she was.

Ahead Pili stopped infront of a wood door and faced them.

"Beyond this, it's your play ground." he said singnalling the door with his head. "You can interact with the others, but at the first gesture of violence you **will** be terminated." he smiled. 

Spike looked at him even more confused. 

_Who the hell were these people? What did they want? Why the sudden freedom? _he thought quickly. He glanced down at Buffy who was as confused as him and his eyes went back to Pili.

"What the hell do ya, mean', mate?" he asked cocking an eyebrow. 

"All questions will be answered in due time." he simply stated. He opened the door and walked through, the others followed. 

Pili stoped in front of one of the many doors in the coridor and pulled out a key, unlocking it. 

"Like you American's say, Home Sweet Home." he said, gesturing with his hand for them to enter. 

"Hey!" Spike said defensevely.

Pili chuckled at his reaction, "Calm down, old man." he said "No harm done. Please, go in."

Buffy moved before Spike. It was obvious that they were there for the long run, and she just wanted to take a bath and lay down. 

Reluctantly, Spike followed the blonde Slayer. 

"I immagine you are itching to shower." he said not letting them answer. "But don't fret, all you need is inside, the Master insist on keeping our 'Specials' at thier best comfort. In about an hour dinner will be served, and you will dine with the others."

"What others?" Spike asked quickly looking at Pili and searching the dark man's face.

"Well you two are not the only ones, even though you are the only ones sharing a room, but He insists on a no separation rule." 

"Can't you please just tell us what is going on?" Buffy asked .

"Get refreshed first, all will unveil itself in due time." Pili said motioning again for them to enter. 

Once inside both Spike and Buffy were extremely surprised and taken back. There were two twin beds with white warm beddings in the center of the room, a night table with a lamp on top in the middle separating the beds. The room had no windows, but had a two lounge chairs in a corner. There were ash trays throughout the room. There were also two doors inside the room. One was an obvious closet door, the other was obviously the bathroom. 

Buffy turned around instinctively to look at Pili and ask an explanation for trying to make them more 'comfortable', but by the time she spun around the door had already closed, locking her and Spike inside their prison. 

Spike walked to the door and tried to pound it down, Buffy let him, he needed to get his energies out.

He hit the door with all his might, his game face came out and he screamed as he saw that the wood was magically enforced. He was annoyed, pissed off, mader than hell. 

Here he was. A master vampire, who at a point in time had been a terrifying menace throughout the world, and now was shrunken to a nothing. A prisoner! A conventionalist. A poofer'. A wanker. He felt as if his manhood, his vampirism had been stripped right through his fangs and was dangling in front of him, laughing at his patheticness. 

He saw it, his demon, making fun of him, right in front of him. He hit it with all his might, kicking it, strangling it, punching it, smaking it against the door.

Then he paused. There was nothing there but a wooden door that prevented him from escaping. He hit both his closed fist on the wood and laid them to rest bringing his forehead to kiss the hatch. He sighted in defeat.

He forgot that Buffy was in the room and slumped his shoulders. _Great! Have a bloody hysteria attack in front of her! Not like she's doing better he'self._

_I__'m living for the only thing I know_

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go_

_And I don't know what I'm diving into_

_Just hanging by a moment here with you_

"Better?" Buffy asked quietly after his shoulders had slumped down because of vain effort. 

He shrugged and didn't answer her. 

Buffy hugged the coat around her shivering figure. She was beyond scared. Her eyes were sunken and dark shadows traced their angry path underneath her lashes. Her cheekbones were accentuated by her thinning figure, in one word she looked haggard. 

They were not receiving any answers. Someone had sought them out, they were not the only ones, they were the 'specials', it was all too heavy, too obscure. 

She had not received a prophesy warning her against this, no Slayer dream, no Willow with her computer, no Giles with his expirience, no Xander with his weird views, it was all upto her. She was so used to being pointed towards the direction of the danger that she had never considered that all of them made her successful.

They were a web, the _slayer_ was all of them. She was the muscle, Giles the wisdom, Willow the magic, and Xander the support. 

So here she was all alone without them and only her mortal enemy as a companion. A mortal enemy that could easily drive her to hysteria with one look, and a mortal enemy that could make her think straight with the brush of his hand against her skin. 

She had not realized she was crying until she felt his arm come around her shoulder. She responded by unconciously resting her head on his lean strong shoulder. She felt his hand run carelessly on her shoulder blade and she heard him whispering words of comfort in her ear. 

_There's nothing else to loose_

_There's nothing else to find_

_There's nothing in the world_

_That could change my mind_

She let go of herself. She burried her head on his chest and sobbed out of loneliness.

_How ironic life could be_. She thought to herself.

They stayed in the comforting embrace until she had no tears left next. He waited until her breathing went down to normal.

"Better?" he asked repeating the words she had asked him earlier. 

She gave him a weak smile. "Spill, and I'll stake you." she said jokingly. 

"Deal." he said warmly. "I'll just add it to the list."

"What list?" she said confussed staring at him.

"You know, pet, the '300 hundred reason to stake Spike, but have yet to do." he smirked smugly. 

She glared at him and stood up. She hiccuped from her crying and looked over at him, noticing blood on his face.

"Are you hurt?" she asked. 

He din't feel pain. Looking down at his shirt he noticed dried blood. 

"I don't feel it" he said confused, he lifted up his t-shirt to reveal many tiny bleeding scrapes in his stomach. 

"You have it all over it." she said looking close to his exposed skin. "How did this happen?" 

He frowned at the healing scrapes. "Dunno, probably when the windows exploded in your kitchen."

Buffy remembered and gasped. She clearly remembered the large gash she had seen in his back when he collapsed on her stairs. She walked around him to lift the back of his shirt.

"Buffy?" he asked confused. 

On his back by his shoulder blade was an embeded piece of glass that was sticking from the still bleeding wound.

"You don't feel this?" she asked concerned, touching the swollen skin.

He looked over his shoulder. "Slight burning, but that's all." 

"Spike, you have a three inch piece of glass burried in your skin and you feel a slight burning sensation?" she asked looking at his turned face. 

He shrugged "Yeah."

"Take your shirt off." she said walking to the door that was supposed to be the bathroom. 

She came back out with a shoe-sized box of first aid kit. "How convinient." she said sarcastically. 

He agreed. This was all too suspicious. 

He sat down at the edge of the bed, with his shirt removed to expose many tiny slashes covering his smooth white planes. 

Sitting behing him, she took off his duster. "I'm gonna pull it out and sew you back up." she stated bringing out the alcohol bottle and pouring it over the wound. 

"Do you even know how to sew?" he asked concerned at how he might look afterwards.

"No better time to learn." she said carelessly. 

He groaned frustrated. 

"I can't believe you don't feel this." she said lightly tuggin at the glass.

"I guess its the vampire aspect of the enti...Ahhh." he cried and twisted his back. "OK, see that hurt." he said through clenched teeth. 

"Sorry." she said sheepishly. He hissed everytime she pulled and she almost felt his pain. 

When she finally removed the object from his fresh she let out a sigh of relief.

"There!" she held the 3 X 2 inch piece of glass and held it up to him, her fingers full of his blood. "I still can't believe you din't feel this inside of you."

Spike took the object and frowned, then flinched when Buffy, without warning, started to sew his wound. 

"Thank you." he murmmured.

She gave the back of his bleached head a small smile. "You're welcome." she said silently.

_There's nothing else_

_This is awkward._ She thought.

They were silent while she cleaned his back. 

"You're being awfully quiet. Beginning to give me the wiggins." She said placing the last tape on top of the gauze that covered his wounded shoulder blade. "There all better."

_There is nothing else_

_There is nothing else_

"Just thinking." He said. He stood and walked to the slidding door that was the closet. 

"About what?" she asked conversationally, placing all the instruments of care back into the white plastic box. 

He ignored her question and opened the door to reveal a closet full of clothes. To the left were women clothes that were very much her size and to the left were men's clothing that were obviously going to fit Spike. All included were undergarments and shoes. 

He turned his head to look at her and she was disturbed by his discovery as much as he was. 

He cocked his eyebrow at her and she knew what that face meant. She said it outloud "Weird Much?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Master?" 

"Yes, what is it?"

"It is done."

"Good."

"Do you need the remote?"

"Yes"

"Here"

"Be gone."

"Yes, master."

Silence.

_///Click///_

"Well, hello you two, looks like you found the goodies that I left you."

Silence.

"Patience, young ones, the time will come. All things will reveal themselves in good time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Cry pretty, pretty, pretty and you'll be able_

_Very soon not to even cry pretty_

_And so be delivered entirely from humanity_

_This is prettiest of all, it is very pretty._

from _Pretty_ by Stevie Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door opened.

"Dinner." the guard simply stated.

Buffy nearly jumped, she was starving. Spike followed at her foot glaring over the 7 foot guard.

"What do they feed, 'yer buggers?" he murmmured under his breathe. Upset because the larger the guards got the less chance they would have to escape. 

They entered the "social/dinning" area of their prison and were heavily dismissed by most of the other prisoners that were there. They seemed to be the last to have been captured. 

"Seems we are late." Spike commented to Buffy who was standing next to him studying the room as well.

"Well you know what they say, better late than never." she said dismissively.

"You Americans and your sayin's" he looked at her and snikered at her gaze of annoyance. 

"Are you going to stand there and actually pretend that every other word that exits your mouth is not in some way a mutilation of YOUR English language?" she asked with a dally smile on her face. 

"Sod off!" he said smirking.

They both reinvested themselves onto their surroundings.

"Master Spike?"

Both Buffy and Spike jumped at the sound of the squeaky voice that came from behind them. 

"Master? Is that you?" a thin little vampire came out of the dark conners of the room and headed strait for Spike with open arms. 

Spike stared at the minion with dread and annoyance. He hated minions, even his own. And the last thing that he wanted was for one of his offspring to see him with the Slayer. If word got out he was deader than undead. 

Wait! What was he thinking? They were not going to get out of this hellhole.

The minion knealed in front of Spike in reverance for his Sire.

"For bleedin' sakes, stand up Malcolm!" he hissed completely embarrassed for his minion's stupidity.

"Pardon me, master, we thought you dead!" the vampire cried out with his head still bowed.

"I am dead, you moron, now get yer' arse off the floor!" He was more upset that the minion had not responded to his Sire's words the first time. This was seen as disrespectful, but then again Spike really cound't blame the fleeting, he _had_ abandoned him in a couple of months period. 

Buffy was completely amused by the scene unfolding infront of her. She had never really seen the interaction the creatures of the night had with each other. What amazed her the most what this grown man's willingness to unterly comply to everything Spike said. 

_Desperate for changing _

_Starving for truth_

Malcoml stood with a happy glee in his face at seeing his Sire once again. "Master Spike,......." he kepted smiling like an idiot.

"Wipe that silly grin off yer' face!" Spike comanded clearly annoyed with the stupidity of the youngster. 

"Mmm, shall I come back later, after the reunion is over?" Buffy asked sarcastically. 

Spike glared at her.

"Master Spike!"

"What is it?!!" he nearly screamed.

"That's.....that's the sl-slayer, Sire!" Malcolm pointed to Buffy in horror.

"Oh hell!" Spike said exasperated. "Don't worry about it! Go,...Go get me a feed!"

The vampire was still looking at Buffy with a petrified face.

"Don't worry Master Spike, I'll protect you from the Slayer!" Malcolm said out of nowhere.

"You're going to protect Spike from my harmful wrath?" she asked the vampire glanzing over at Spike with a divert smile on her face.

Spike's temper was heightening. "Malcolm!"

The little man swirled to face his Sire.

"Get me a feed and get lost." Spike said severely keeping eye-contact with him. Dominance was the game. 

The minion practically leaped to obbey his wishes.

"How is it that you say it?...Ahh, yes; Cute lil' bugger." Buffy said watching the minion run.

"Yeah, I wasindiscerptibly drunk when I turned him." Spike said sarcastically.

"So you're a Slayer?" 

"Aren't we the ever popular couple?" she said unammused, and turned to the man who had spoken.

Spike paused and froze when he recognized the immortal.

"Don't you think the question is, Jabari, what is William the Bloody doing with the likes of the Slayer?" the other man said to his partner. 

Jabari was dark and intimidating while his partner was rough and hansome. Both around thirty and very well built. They looked like warriors from a past time. A time of knights and their fair ladies. Ancient yet new.

Buffy sighted. _Great! _"Oh look, honey, and we tought we weren't going to make any friends!" she said sarcastically and silently figuring how long it will take her and Spike to get rid of the goons.

"Slayer..." Spike tried to warn her, she probably din't even know what immortals were and was trying to figure out a way to kick their ass as he was speaking.

_Closer to where I started_

_Chasing after you_

The two men approached them defiantly. Spike backed up. He knew the danger.

Buffy gave him an incredulous look as he backed up, she had never known Spike to back up out of a fight. 

"Spike?" 

"Let them be." 

All four head turned to the now revealed old man wrapped in tunics of linen sitting on a thin chair. His eyes were tired but wise, and he had a certain peace around him that it almost called Buffy. 

Almost as if he had found all the secrets of life and was holding them hostage. He looked beat up, there were bruises around his face. Yet he still cried out peace.

"Qaletaqa!" Spike almost cried. He strode rapidly towards the sitting man.

Buffy's mouth dropped open as she saw the _reverence_ Spike was giving this old man, and he was a human, Buffy could sense it.

Spike croached in front old the old man and reached out for his hand bringing it up to his forehead.

Buffy felt delirious.

"William." the man said nodding in appreciation at Spike's respect.

Spike looked at the man with concern at his beaten face. "Taqa, how did they get you?" Spike asked frantically. 

"It is not important, William, it is the way it was meant to be."

Buffy nearned the couple. She had never seen Spike act like this towards another human, come to think about it she had seen a lot of him today that she had never seen before.

_I'm falling even more in love with_

_Letting go of all I've held onto_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

"You knew?" Spike asked a bit edgy. 

Taqa smiled at Spike's concern and patted his shoulder in comfort. "My time is coming, William." the man said with unconsummed acceptance.

"No, Taqa, don't say that!" Spike swallowed hard. He knew that whatever came out of the man's mouth was supernatural law. He looked at Buffy with a stark expression that screamed HELP! "We're gonna get you out of this bloody place, don't you fret."

Taqa looked up at Buffy and smiled at her with knowledge. 

Buffy felt weightless, and foamy, his gaze was penetrating. Complete seductive peace took over her limbs and she unconsciously returned his smile.

"William, I see you have brought me the Slayer?" 

Spike looked back at the man that held Buffy gaze. "You knew we were coming didn't you?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked confused. She had almost led herself to believe that this man was wisdom incarnation.

Taqa didn't let any of them talk and held up both his arms wearily to Buffy, an invitation to an embrace. "Come here, child."

Spike watched in amecement how Buffy voluntarily walked to Taqa and squat herself next to Spike in front of the wrapped figure. But then again, he remembered he was not far from it himself when he first met the wiseman.

_I'm living for the only thing I know_

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go_

_And I don't know what I'm diving into_

_Just hanging by a moment here with you_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taqa gazed down to the Slayer's large green eyes and held her by her shoulders. 

Buffy felt exposed to this man's gaze. She didn't know who or what he was but whatever it was it was not evil. Her eyelids fluttered and they unconsciously closed. He was peace, tranquility, everything she had ever wanted in her short life but had been denied to her. His gaze felt like warm water was washing her soul and then she heard music, such sweet music that floated above her head in a companionship and a comforting lingering presence. 

She felt her knees buckle but she did not fall, she felt suspended, held by an unforseen power. This power was her support as her body became gelatin, dripping to the floor, decomposing before her eyes, but there was no panic, no fear, no regret, just welcoming aid. 

_Hanging by a moment_

The force turned into something beautiful. It covered her. White cloud-like links that rounded her body and lifted her. She slumped against the enveloping white cloud that carried her and all her troubles. 

How wonderful she felt! It was purely magical. She knew she no longer had her body, it was just her essence, her soul. Gone were the pressures, the responsabilities, the consious thoughts, and ideas of rights and wrongs. There was no wrong here. She was complete.

She continued to float in orgasmic serenity, her head dancing in the white cloud like rods that had so lovenly embraced her. She was in amacement but then felt her body being set down and the white clouds were disentangling from her being. She reached out and held on to them pulling the cloud to cover her body once more. She never wanted to loose this feeling of utter contemptment.

_Hanging by a moment_

The rods tried to pry themselves from her body again and she wimpered. "No" she whispered. With that the cloud of ultimate peace swallowed her vulnerability and held her till her mind contended, giving in to sweet blissful sleep.

_Hanging by a moment here with you_

To be continued........................ (Please feedback!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	4. 

part3

**Flying Hours**- Part 3 to "All that Heaven Allows"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics _Amazing_ and _Don't wanna miss a thing _by Aerosmith. Poem "Love and Life" by John Wilmot. 

-Rated: PG (Language, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Third part of Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasen't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Would love feedback! Tell me what you think, I am far from done, many surprises ahead! My email is [bih80@yahoo.com][1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"You can't catch a cub without going into the tiger's den_."- (Risky as it is, if you are afraid of taking chances, there is no way you can succeed.)

Chinesse Proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roderick smiled in a fascinated dark humor.

_How sweet_!. He thought satirically. Bitter venom came out in the form of falsificated chuckles.

The man standing next to him looked over at his Master as he amused himself by the developing scene in the screen before him.

"Quite fascinating, lord." 

He continued his dark humor-less glee.

"Should I keep Qaletaqa away from her?" the servant said.

Roderick shook his and wickedly smiled. "No, I like this." he amused himself. "And here I thought it was going to be boring in this desert wasteland."

The man next to him waited patiently.

"You know." Roderick said looking up at the waren, "We can probably sell the tape,.........by mass quantities, at that."

Pili smiled inspite of his Master. He knew that it was "all green bills or no automobile" with him.

"Your wish then?...." Pili asked his now calmer Sire.

"I believe we'll start with Phase 1." Roderick smiled at the couple on the screen.

Pili knew that was his quew to bolt for the door.

"Done, master." With that he bowed and left.

Roderick continued to stare at the vision before. 

On the bed, there they were. She was shaking, almost in a trance, probably mur,muring words that made no sense. There he was holding her, comforting her, being her support.

Again he smiled.

_Who would have thought you had it in you, William?_ He thought smuggly.

He had seen Spike place her down ever so gently on her bed, trying to pry her from his arms, but she had held on in his arms, pulling him around her. Not letting him go. He had reluctantly given in when she said 'no' and climbed in bed with her. His arms wrapped around her small frame, shielding and convering her while her body shook in the aftermath of the 'gorüs', gently strocking her hair until her shivers subsided.

As Roderick played observer in fascination he picked up the phone next to him.

"Get me Lawrence Maltevilla, in Venice."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(July 7, 12:02 AM @ Sunnydale, CA)_

_I kept the right ones out_

_And let the wrong ones in_

_Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins_

_There were times in my life_

_When I was going insane_

_Trying to walk through _

_The Pain_

The night was damp and hot, as if it simmered with his pain. He sat on the back porch steps of her attacked house, glass accompanied his black shoes on the floor were they rested. His slumped, large, brooding shoulders showed vulnerability, lying to the passerby. 

Black, that was the color of his life. An eternal mortuary, covered with crying faces from past lives, grieving family, heartfelt guilt and responsability. Only a single white rose survived the darkness in him. 

And she was fadding.......sinking to the depths of his memories. Her face was sketchy, like a bad drawing, frowning in pain, her large green eyes begging for his help, yet he couldn't give it.

Didn't know were she was, didn't know if she was alive, didn't know if she was hurt, he knew nothing but that she was fadding, ever so slowly.

_When I lost my grip_

_And I hit the floor_

_Yeah, I thought I could leave, but cound't get out the door_

His Buffy was leaving him, he could feel it in his bones. The action was ulcering. Pain, indescribable pain that could not be quenched, could not be healed, could not be stoped. 

She was letting go. He was holding on. A heartless tug-of-war that he was loosing, sinking him knee-deep in unimodular mud. 

_It's amazing _

_With the blink of an eye, you finally see the light_

_It's amazing_

_When the moment arrives you know you'll be alright_

_It's amazing_

_And I'm saying a prayer for the desperate heart hearts tonight_

The door opened behind him but he didn't flinch, he braced himself for the conversation.

She sat next to him and studied his face. Not saying a word, just sitting in comforting silence. 

Her silence was welcoming, comforting, inviting, it was what he needed. 

She saw the lone blood tear that slid down his dark face and gulped. 

What can one say but 'I know what you feel?'

"Hurts dosen't it?" she asked her eyes never leaving his face.

_That one last shot's a permanent vacation_

_And how high can you fly with broken wings?_

_Life's a journey, not a destination_

_And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings_

He tightened. _Damn Her._ He thought. _Why did she always hit the nail?_

He nodded. 

"I know." Her own lone tear falling. 

His gaze reached the sky trying to understand where he had gone wrong, but he knew, he knew this was his punishment. He was cursed. Literally. 

_You have to learn to crawl_

_Before you learn to walk_

_But I just couldn't listen to all the righteous talk_

_I was out on the streets_

_Just tryin' to survive_

Her arm snaked around his shoulder and she placed a tender soothing kiss on his shoulder. 

Her heart burned, a burning sensation she had hidden, captured in her heart, so well hidden.

He looked at her large brown eyes without saying a word rested his weary head on her shoulder and let her in. Let her comfort him, for once he held on to someone. 

_It's amazing_

_With the blink of an eyes, you finally see the light_

_It's amazing_

_When the moment arrives that you know you'll alright_

_It's amazing_

_And I'm saying a prayer for the desperate hearts tonight_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing_

_Watch you smile while you are sleeping_

_While farway you're dreaming_

_I could spend my life in this sweet surrender_

_I could stay lost in this moment forever_

_Every moment spent with you is moment I treasure_

Warmth. Warmth was all that came to mind as he came awake, taking in his senses and allowing his essence to be one with his surroundings again. 

Comfort. Comfort was the next thing that came to mind as he felt his body rise to unlife. Something was right, something felt good, and something was found.

Vibrations. Vibration was the other thing that ticked his mind in confusion and a security that seemed to belong to a past life. 

His nostrils inhaled the air around him. It was sweet. Vanilla? Yes! It was Vanilla. The musky sweetness of the golden smell came in penetrating waves that shuffeled his brain. What purity. What deception. What naiveness. What venom.

His eyes awoke themselves, glazed blue orbs that lingered in pure sensual pleasure. 

_What a way to wake up!_ He thought. He felt relaxed and at ease. He hadn't felt such satisfaction in.........well never. 

_Don't wanna close my eyes, Don't wanna fall asleep_

_'Cuz I'd miss you baby, And I don't wanna miss a thing_

_'Cuz even when I dream of you, The sweetest dream would never do_

_I'd still miss you baby, And I don't wanna miss a thing_

He focused, against his pleasured will, and saw golden strings glazing over his eyes. Tickling his thick eye lashes, and making the world seen hazy.

Then something stirred. 

He looked throught the tassels of ochroid to find an indescribable sight next to him. 

There he was, completely relaxed, with no complaint whatsoever, and there she was, snuggled and cheerful in blissful sleep. All curled up on top of his chest. Her heart trashing in pacific rhythms, he felt it, as if it were his own dead one coming to life. What surrealism. Then he realized he was probably dreaming.

_Laying close to you, Feeling your heart beating_

_And I'm wondering what you're dreaming, Wondering if it's me you're seeing_

_Then I kiss your eyes, And thank God we're together_

_I just want to stay with you in this moment forever,.....Forever and ever_

But she stirred. _No, don't wake up_! He thought in desperation. 

Such impeccable moment should never end. He wanted to paint what his vision inhaled, capture it and keep it forever. Her sight. Her taintless sight. 

Her right arm was snaked around his chest, hand resting sweetly on his hip. Her face was comfortably rested on upper shoulder, breathing warm air to his cold neck.

With her eyes closed she looked childish. But not the childish that you would like to pet, but the chilldishness you want to engulf yourself with, drown yourself in a nether world that exist between a person and their dreams.

She was a picture paragon.

A doll seen in a shop window. Too expensive to buy, too beautiful to hide.

_I don't wanna miss one smile_

_I don't wanna miss one kiss_

_I just wanna be with you_

_Right here with you just like this_

_I just wanna hold you close _

_Feel your heart close to mine_

_And just stay here, in this moment for all the rest of time_

His unseen breath caught at his dead throat. How could life be so cruel? There, with his arm encirculed around her shoulders, and under his coat that was on top of her, his hand resting comfortably on her tiny waist. A waist that was exposed to the touch, displaying menacing golden flesh that his fingers unconsciously had begun to play with. 

He was in dangerous ground. He felt a lump on his throat. And his thoughts ran away without him. Telling him the raw truths that he often told other people other than himself.

_There you have it, mate. No spells, no witch, no dreams. Its all real,......and you'll never have it. No chance. She'll wake up and throw you off the bed. She'll insult you, accuse you of planning this. She'll be pissed. So, mate, enjoy this because you will never, ever feel this. _

He had to get out of there. 

_Get up NOW, you wanker!_

He reluctantly slid his hardening body off her. The pain was unbearable. He wanted her, needed her, desired her, she had intoxicated his demon, until it was drunk with happiness at her every smile, her look, her gracefulness, her,.....Buffy, the one thing he knew he couldn't have. 

She stirred lightly and frowned poutidly in her sleep at the loss of his body.

He was engulfed with rage.

Leaping with vampiric quietness he went in to take a very cold shower._ A bloke could die couped up in 'ere._

_Don't wanna miss a thing_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

She woke to the sudden loss that filled her soul. The clouds were gone, she was no longer shielded from reality. She fell asleep in pure bliss, and awoke cold and alone. 

She sat up when the bathroom door was slammed shut and moments later the shower was tuned on, blasting with rage.

Her eyes were heavy and groagy. She became aware of her surroundings remembering were she was at. Her small powerful body was wrapped in Spike's coat. 

It covered her like a quilt. She remembered not having it on last night, yet here she was snuggled in it. She was startled by the tought that Spike might find her in such a compromising position. 

All over her she sensed this smell........it smelled of cigaretts and musk and leather and Spike.

On her pillow, on her shirt, and her hair, on her hands. She smelled of him!!!

She groaned, embarassment filled her. How could she allow herself to snuggle and fall asleep on Spike? First of all this was Spike, souless vampire who had tried repeatedly to kill her and her friends. Second of all how the hell was she supposed to look at him after the stunt she had pulled.

She then clearly remembered moaning 'NO' when he tried to let her go.

She cringed at her behavior.

_Oh, God! What the hell is he going to think? That I wanted him? Well that was partially true, but NO I have a damn boyfriend.....RILEY!_

She cringed at that thought, she had not thought of her boyfriend since she had talked to him that night. 

_Focus._ She told herself. What happened last night has to take priority._ First off apologize, then disappear, then ignore......good plan, Buffy._

The water in the shower turned off and she gulped harshly dreading the confrontation.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_(July 9 @ Sunnydale, CA)_

Their eyes were tired from lack of sleep and worry. They had hardly sleeped since she had been gone. Pacing, murmmuring, sighting, hugging, consoling, crying,.......that's how their days went.

Angel had not left town, he had refused to. Wesley had stayed back in L.A. to inform them of any emergency that Angel and Cordy were needed for. 

Giles had read everybook he owned. Willow had researched all supernatural sites. Tara had looked at every spell. Xander had accused eveyone. Anya had been all too confused. Cordy was the comforting blanket for everyone. Angel had done all of the above and was still pacing, wearing a hole on the shop floor.

Joyce had been placed on tranquilizers and was being watched periodically by each Scooby. 

Angel had beat the shit out of Willy, but the snitch knew nothing. He had also harrassed and killed almost every demon and vampire that he came across with. But they all said the same; last time they saw Buffy and Spike was the night they had been patrolling together.

Riley was building with rage. There he was with people who were almost strangers to him, his girlfriend was missing and thought to be in the company of a vampire, and her ex-boyfriend was pacing in front of him, worried sick about _his_ girl.

When Angel had arrived he had identified the blood Xander had collected as Spike's and even thought relieved that Buffy's was not it, he worried over his childe and what had they gotten themselves into. Or worst yet, what had gotten two of the best fighters Angel has ever known.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by Cordy's screetch. He knew that screetch. A vision.

Cordilia felt it coming in hot waves that hit her head. _It's gonna be a bad one. _She thought and braced herself for the pain.

Angel ran to her side and held her thin body and she trashed in pain. He worried, it looked worst than usual, so he held her tight afraid she might collapse from exhaustion.

_Spike on a hospital bed, in pain, his eyes were pressed shut...........Buffy was next to him...........holding his hand..........she was crying................They were being sold..........Spike was pissed and snarling.............Buffy dressed in a solid gold bikini, a'la Princess Leah..........she was chained to the wall........Spike pulling her chains off............Buffy crying in sobs........_

Cordy gasped as the images fadded. And held on to Angel who was right in front of her with a terrified look on his face. Willow ran and brought her aspirin and a glass of water. She accepted it gratefully with a trembling hand.

Angel didn't need to say anything, his worry was evident in his gentle eyes. He thought she was going to go out on him. "Bad?" he asked. Not sure if he meant, bad as in bad news or bad, as in 'it was a tough one'.

She nodded looking at him. _Oh boy._

She braced herself for eveyone's reaction and began narrating the images that the powers wanted them to know.

_Another cold day in Sunnyhell. _She began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nine days. Nine days since they had been taken. She was tired and strained. Beyond the point of being worried, her fears were raw with intuition. They were slowly being prepared.

All the information they needed had been given to them and she almost whished she didn't know what was to happen. 

Both her and Spike sat together on one of the beds staring into space. Not looking at each other, not touching just sitting in welcoming companionship. They held on to each other for support. Apart from Naqa they really were alone.

But Naqa was becoming weaker everyday. And the little time they were allowed to be out, they both sat by the old man's death bed, slowly watching life slip from his lips. The 'gorus' he had performed for Buffy had drained his little strength.

Spike had explained to Buffy what the gorus was. It was the cleansing of your fears and worries. Placing your mind in a state of perfection, a haven.

At first Buffy was mad, how dare he do that to her? When she knew that was somethihng she could never have? But Spike had explained that Naqa would have not done it unless he felt that it was what Buffy needed at that moment.

Naqa was right, as always, she did need it, more than she would ever admit. 

Buffy had tried to clean the wiseman's wounds around his face but he was so weak, they would not heal. She was worried but she knew that Spike was even more worried. She had caught him several times by the old man's bedside watching him sleep. At first she tought that he was controlling hunger, but that was no longer an issue.

She knew when he told her one afternoon as she crept up behind him.

"When Angelus left me and Dru, because of his bloody soul, we were almost lost, little children.....looking ofr guidance. One night, around the 40's, Dru said that the mountains were calling her, singing to her, telling her that they had wisdom. To please her we headed east towards China. Well, we eventually made it to this little town by the border of China called Irkeshtam." He paused, she listened. "D'cent lil' town, you know. Lots of goodies to eat. I went on my own to take a look 'round one night, very hungry, just waiting for the first fool." he let out a unhumourous laugh. "The fool I found was myself,.....staring at the wisest eyes I've ever seen. And there he was Qaletaqa, in all his glory, in all his wisdom. So human and so supernatural. I thought it was a dream, when he instantly did the 'goru'."

His eyes closed remembering the feeling. 

She watched his features. 

He was different. 

Her breath caught at her throat. He was beautiful. So strong and yet so vulnerable. So capable of hate and so capable of love. His jaw tightened reminding her of abstract painting. 

A man in closed cubicle. 

A man trapped in a surreal cube, floating,.....all different in the eyes of the beholder. You saw him as you wanted. 

If you focused on his jaw, you'll see strength and hatred. If you saw his lips you saw wisdom and knowledge. If you saw his eyes you'll see compasion and love. He was a puzzle,......and she had figured it out.

But she saw his face, its entirety, she saw the man, the demon, she saw strenght, hatred, wisdom, knowledge, compassion, and...... love. Yes, love. Love that screamed at her with fire dagers she could not duck. Love that evaporated the world and left her whole and nude. Vulnerable and weak, strong yet powerful. 

_I love him........._ She admitted with great pain. _How long? Oh God.........._

Tears were dancing in her eyes at her realization. How could she do such a stupid thing? How could she place herself on this path for unbearable destruction? She was immolating herself for nights of endless crying. 

"Unleashed the hate so great in me. Bamm it was gone!..... All the fury,......all the feeling of abandonment,.........it left. He had done it. From then on it was no longer about the demon,.......it was about me. Yeah, I wasn't gonna go all poofy on Dru, but that night,........so long ago I let the him go. I let Taqa go. I didn't kill him. He was hidding you see, they were looking for him. But I,....I saved him. I hid him for four months. I kept him safe, without Dru knowing it. She would have killed him, or turned him. But I couldn't bear the sight of death in his eyes. Those eyes that saved me from becoming Angelus. So I hid 'im" Spike paused opening his eyes and looking at the man before him. "And now,.....I can't." He gulped. "I can't save him, Buffy. I can't hide 'im, death has found him and there's nothing I can do 'bout it."

Buffy's heart cried out for him. She felt his pain, his anguish ran through her veins as she tried to help him with his load. 

"Death comes to us all..., you see" she said. Walking behind him and placing her trembling hands on his strong slumped shoulders. 

"I've killed so many,....and I don't feel guilty,.............the one I don't kill,......tears me apart." he almost whispered. 

She gently squeezed his shoulders in a comforting touch.

"Memories,.....they keep us alive, they keep that person alive, that person lives, lives within us." she whispered. 

He smiled. "Since when did you become the poet?"

"Since when did you become sentimental?"

He glared at her. "I am NOT sentimental."

She leaned on him and lowered her head until her chin touched his shoulder and looked at him. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." she said smiling lightly but tauntingly. Then walked out of the room.

"Fool for love." the old man whispered from bed.

Spike looked at him and smiled sadly. "Always."

So here they sat on the bed digesting the latest turn of events. After finding out they were a price to be sold in a ancient Auction, they had been told that they were the 'specials'. Buffy had almost ripped the messenger to shreds had not Spike pulled her back. She was indignified. How dare they!

Spike nor she were a price to be won!

He was enraged more when this _guy _named Lawrence came to meet Buffy. Stupid sod! He'd been all nice and flirty, telling her how beautiful she was and what not. Idiot! Didn't he know she saw herself in the mirror everyday? His jealousy had eaten him away that day watching her question Lawrence about this place and what was going to happen.

But he had reached his boiling point when the guy took Buffy's hand, _his_ Buffy's hand and told her, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you, I told them the Slayer was too important for the balance of good and evil, but they didn't listen to me. I know your importance, and I'll do all I can."

He had screamed at the bloke, accusing him of hypocracy, but this time it was Buffy who had to pull him back, preventing him from hurting the man. Ever since that, the 'Lawrence peanut' had come and talked to Buffy everyday. He sizzled. 

She knew he hated Lawrence, but Lawrence reminded her so much of Riley. All pleasing and adoring. Going all nervous in front of her. He had been weird at the beginning, coming on too fast, but somewhere along the way he had changed. She saw true concern in his eyes. Almost as if he had begun to care. 

Again she felt guilty. She didn't see Lawrence, she saw her worried boyfriend at home staring at her with green eyes, pleading with her, telling her he missed her. 

What had she gotten herself in to? She knew Lawrence was coming that afternoon, he said he had important news to deliver. She was worried and so was Spike. Even though Spike didn't like the guy, Lawrence had told them all they knew about the auction, enough to know that he could never get Buffy home. 

They sat in silence waiting. 

The door opened and the guard let Lawrence in.

He was different, almost worried.

Lawrence hated himself at that moment. Sure, this assignment had started out simple, seduce the girl, then break her. He had done it so many times, to creatures far worse than her. But it was her eyes that dug his grave. She looked at him so trustingly, so much in need of answers. And he had been her only hope. He had caved in. 

He knew Spike hated him, well it was understandable, here he was with strick orders so to have the girl broken, malicious in his original intent, but confussed in his emotions.

He had studied Spike looking at Buffy, and new instantly that the vampire was in love with the Slayer. How? He didn't question, he just observed. And she, although well concealed, was emotionally dependent on the creature for everything. Yes, they argued, but it was lover's quarrels. Frustration instead of hate.

But today, he knew he would see it in her eyes, when he told them the news.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello Buffy." Lawrence said entering the room and taking a seat at the edge of the bed opposite of the glummy couple. "Spike."

"Hello Lawrence." she said quietly. Spike stared at the man, his jaw tightened. He felt something wrong.

"How are you..." he started.

"Cut to business, please." she said in her Slayer tone. 

Spike smiled inside, _That's my girl._

"Right, no time for dilly, dally" he looked up at their waiting faces and took a breath. "The Auction, is in five days, we're expecting creatures from all the ends of the world. It's going to be an event like no other. And you two, as you know, are the piece of cake at the end. Roderick is expecting to make millions on your behalf. A slayer comes once in a century, and vampiric line of Aurelius is almost extinct. Selling you as a pair will have him retiring for eternity. But there's a problem." He paused and Spike leaned foward. He could smell a trap and this was not one, the kid was worried, nervous.

"Well spit it'out, mate." He said aggravated at the scantity of information. Buffy's heart was beating a mile a minute, something was wrong, wronger than usual.

"Well the thing is, who is going to pay for a neutered master vampire?" Lawrence said, avoiding the glare the vampire was giving him.

Buffy felt the floor collapse.

"What r' you sayin'?" Spike asked cautiously.

"Tomorrow." he said looking at Spike. "They take the chip out."

Spike's heart was lifting so quickly he thought he would laugh out loud. 

Buffy's heart was breaking.

"They flew in a special surgeon that will perform the operation tomorrow. But the thing is......"

"There's another thing?" Buffy asked her voice shaking.

"Yeah.......this has never been performed." he stated. "There's a high chance, that there could be......complications."

"What type of complications?" Spike asked now worried, he didn't want to end up a veggie.

"Well, you see, its painful, when you wake up, that is." Lawrence said looking between Buffy's worried face and Spike's intrigued.

"I can deal with pain." Spike dismissed it as a no problem, he would endure anything to get the friggin' chip out. 

"And you might loose your strength........ for a while." he said looking down.

Realization creeped into Spike and and he nodded. "I get it, you take the chip out, I'm weak, so I can't fight back when they sell us,......" He paused in understanding. "And they're going to take Buffy's strength too. Aren't they?" he asked, growing in anger. "So we'll be defenseless, we'll have no choice but to comply and be sold so the highest bidder."

Buffy was shaking. Her thoughts were rambled together and she looked at Lawrence to find some reasurrance, but his head was bent in defeat. 

"Yes, that's the general idea." he said not looking at them "Both you and Buffy will be with normal human strength while you're being auctioned." he said. "All to prevent resistance."

"He has it all figured out, don't you, mate?" Spike asked standing up from the bed and started pacing in their small room. "Well I don't want it out. I rather keep it and have something left of what makes me, me."

"You have no choice." he said quietly. "They'll come tomorrow, and take you away."

"No they are not." Buffy said gaining her strength. 

Lawrence looked at her and saw the anger building. "Buffy I am sorry, I am just the messenger."

"You can take your routine and shove it up your ass, but I will not stand back and let them do that, and I will NOT have my strength taken from me. I WILL NOT!" she screamed.

Lawrence jumped as the brassed off Slayer got closer to him. Her eyes flared. He was sure she would hit him and braced himself. But Spike came up behing her and grabbed her arm.

"C'mon, pet, he' not worth it." 

She leaned back into Spike's chest and let his presence soothe her. She knew there was no way out. They were trapped, the cat had finally cornered the mice and there was no escape.

"How long?" she asked.

"How long, what?" Lawrence asked carefully.

"How long will we be without strength?" she asked slowly.

"Until.....your owners have you." he stated simply. 

"Owner?" Spike asked. "I'm no slave."

"Well you're going to be sold, they'll buy you, you'll be owned." 

Buffy's face contorted in anger, but she held her ground. "I want to go with him."

Lawrence's head shot up to look at her. "Where?"

"Tomorrow in the operation." her hand went to find Spike's hand. They linked thier fingers together. She could feel he was about to burst.

Lawrence saw the gesture and all his questions were answered. She loved him and was not going to leave the vampire's side. He knew he had caused enough pain and simply nodded. "I think I can make it happen."

"You will make it happen." she said harshly. "You guys thought it was cute to stick us together, cute to see us vulnerable, cute to torture us, cute to see us weak, well I have news for you, buddy. Me and Spike, we're as strong as it gets, and I don't know what game you play, Lawrence, but take a good look at us, not tomorrow, not in five days, not ever are we going to break." she was shaking with anger . "Sorry to disappoint you."

"You tell your boss, that his first mistake was thinking he could break us." Spike said calmly joining Buffy. "Tell Roderick, he has no idea who he's messed with."

Lawrence gulped, the vampire's eyes bore right throught him, almost like Roderick's did. His voice was menacing and he meant it.

Buffy held on tight to Spike's hand, so she wouldn't rip Lawrence's throat out. 

"I'll tell him." he said backing out of the room, "And about tomorrow."

He left, left them standing there, his words sinking into their greatest fears. 

She was breathing heavily, anger, fear, and frustration was cursing through her brain. She was going to be without strength, Spike's chip was getting removed, he might not wake up, this had never been done before, he will be strengthless, like her, in five days they would be slaves. 

Spike was fumming. He finally had what he wanted but was afraid he might not wake up, leaving Buffy to fend on her own, he couldn't do that. Even when he woke up he would not have strength, just like her, they would be sitting ducks. His plan had been escape during the auction, fight their way out, but counting on their strength, but now........_FUCK!_

"Spike?" she asked still holding his hand tight. 

He didn't respond, she knew he wouldn't. 

"If I don't make it....." she trailed off when he leaned his chin on top of her head kissing her hair lightly. 

"Don't say that." he murmmured into her scalp.

She turned to face him. They locked eyes. "Promise me you'll wake up." 

"Buffy, I can't...."

"Just promise, ok?" her voice was shaking with fear, she didn't want ot be left alone.

He looked into her large watery green eyes and saw the fear she had. She felt defenseless. At least if they were both weak they'll be together, but if he kicked 'it', she would be alone and weak.

He nodded not saying a word. She saw the understanding in his blue eyes and was grateful she didn't have to explain herself. 

At this moment they had nothing, no hope, no strength, no vision, no plan, they only had each other. 

"You stay alive.....you wake up.......and don't you dare leave me or I swear I'll stake you first chance I get." she said gathering what little voice she could. 

He bend down and kissed her forehead, breathing in her smell. Fear was all over her, and decades ago he would had relished in it, but now it seemed to hurt him.

"I promise." he whispered. 

They embrassed each other in a comforting embrace, leaning against each other, cherishing in what they had now and could loose tomorrow.

She inhaled his scent, and his smell made her cry. She sobbed out right. She was tired of being strong, this place had completely destroyed her, if he wasn't there they would break her. 

He comforted his own fear by enjoying her closeness, her voluntary closeness, her need for him at that moment. They held on, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

And he remembered something from long ago, so long ago it seemed like a dream. 

The words flew out of his mouth without thinking.

_"All my past life is mine no more;_

_The flying hours are gone,_

_Like transitory dreams given o'er,_

_Whose images are kept in store_

_By memory alone._

_The time that is to come is not;_

_How can it then be mine?_

_The present moment's all my lot;_

_And that, as fast as it is got,_

_Phillis, is only thine._

_Then talk no more of inconstancy,_

_False hearts, and broken vows;_

_If I by miracle, can be_

_This live-long minute true to thee,_

_'Tis all that haven allows."_

Buffy had seized to breathe when he started, her tears falling freely into her cheeks as she soaked in every words of the poem. A poem! He had whispered a poem, so right, so appropiate, it made her want to hold him and beg God for mercy, mercy on her, mercy on him, mercy on them. 

She knew he was right. They did not belong in this time. If they were back home, they wouldn't be this close, they wouldn't need each other so much, they wouldn't be so scared.

She looked up at his face that was softened by the moment. Her breath caught at her throat and she forgot how to breathe. He was beautiful, so tender yet strong. His eyes were clear blue, so loving it made her mush. 

"Where did you learn that?" she croaked out.

He studied her for a moment. His throat was dry with feeling. What was wrong with him? He was an image if his sire, all poetic and shit, holding on to a human he could not help but love. 

He shrugged gazing at her large red-stained green eyes. Her cheeks were flushed and wet with trails of tears. "My mum, she used to recite it to me when I was a chap,........she always said that if you were ever scared of loosing something, you must enjoy it at the precise moment you have it, you must appreciate it, because it may be all that you will be allowed to have."

Buffy felt new tears coming. She saw his vitality, it screamed at her. He was the only man she knew that could demonstrate his insecurities and have them manifest in the glory of his courage. 

"How sad is the truth, but then again all truth in someway is sad." she said quietly. 

"Now who's the poet." he asked breaking the moment with a familiar grin.

She grinned back at him and rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying what heaven allowed.

He held her, letting her thundering heart giving life to his dead one, so sweet, so unreal, so dreamfull it made him cry. His few tears painted the top of her head as they braced themselves for what heaven could take away.

To be continued........................

Author's note: (I know, quite sappy, but I couldn't help myself.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	5. 

part4

**When We Are Weak -**Part 4 to "All that Heaven Allows"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics are _Dreaming my Dreams_ by The Cranberries. 

-Rated: Pg-13 (Language, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Fourth part of Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasen't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think, I am far from done, many surprises ahead! My email is [bih80@yahoo.com][1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

//KNOCK//knock//

"Come in."

"Moa, Kapitan." 

"Oh Lawrence, my boy, come here." Roderick signaled for him to join them.

Lawrence braced himself and walked in confidently. 

"Highnesses, this is Lawrence Maltevilla, son of Parisiano Maltevilla." Roderick said proudly as the young man entered. 

Lawrence bowed in the presence of the royals. 

"Magesties." he said looking to the ground in reverence. 

"My lord Sethos, my lady Kamilah, this is the young noble we've been working with for our special project." Roderick said as the young man took the adequate chair.

Kamilah studied the handsome man and smiled. Her purple eyes twinkled in delight. "Really? Tell me sir, how are they?"

Lawrence looked at the princess, she looked like a replica of Princess Jasmine from that Disney movie he had seen long ago. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. Lean, toned, body, exposing a hard stomach. Eyes large and purplelish, hair as black as the night, long and straight, it went down to her waist. She wore fine jewels and gold, but not excessively, just right. She was standing by a dark window, her frame stood, proud and elegant. 

He smiled. "They are very much upset by their position."

She frowned. "Upset? I would think that they would be honored. Don't you think brother?"

Lawrence looked at the quiet figure that was seated on a large golden chair by the fire. He looked young, his features were soft and elegant, passive. He looked almost kind. His thick black hair was pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck were it hung mid-back. He was dressed in a khaki suit, so fine was the cloth it, shinned. His eyes were the richest, darkest black it settled an unerving peace. 

He glared at his sister and sighted. "I suppose so, my sister."

Lawrence clearly saw who ran the royal court as she grinned almost evily at her dominance.

"Tell me Mr. Maltevilla." she started. "Are they a handsome couple?"

Lawrence was taken back by her question and her almost purring sound. "Y-y-e-yes, I suppose they are, majesty."

"Suppose?" she asked raising her eyebrow.

"Well, I know, I mean she is, majesty, very beautiful." he stammered. He was getting uneasy by the moment. This woman was a black spider, beautiful and dangerous.

"Beautiful, really?" she asked almost annoyed. 

"Not as lovely as you, my lady." Roderick said from his side of the room where he watched amused as the scene before him was played out. 

Kamilah paused and looked up at her secret lover smiling, "No need for reasurrance, Roderick." she turned her attention back to Lawrence who was sitting stiff as a board. "Tell me about the master vampire, is he handsome?"

_Buffy seems to think so._ He thought bitterly remembering how she had held his hand for reassurance.

"She does, does she?" Kamilah asked smiling. 

Lawrence's head shot up, startled at how easily the woman had read his thoughts. 

Kamilah smiled at the unexperienced youth and turned to Roderick. "Darling, you had not informed me things were getting interesting."

Roderick smiled at her intuition. She fascinated him, she was probably the only creature on earth more dangerous than him. 

"A slayer, trusting a vampire?" she asked amused in delight.

Roderick simply nodded as he stood up with an evil smile on his face.

"What about the vampire?" she asked amuzed. "How does he feel about the slayer?"

"Oh, he's definitely stricken." Lawrence pipped in. "Majesty." 

A delightful smile crossed Kamilah's face. "How perfectly ironic."

"Takes an interesting turn in events, does it not?" Roderick smiled as he reached the feminine figure. 

"Do you really think you should mess with matters of the heart, sister?" Sethos asked from where he was sitting. He was annoyed at the malignant power his sister possessed. 

She turned to the prince. "Brother, don't be such a slump." she turned to Roderick. "What delicious goody do you have planned for them?"

Roderick cocked his head. "Something so delightful, they won't know what hit them."

Lawrence shivered at his master's words, he hated the idea of Spike and Buffy, but seeing them everyday had shown him their comaradeship and devotion, whether they admitted it or not. So at the mention of their suffering an acid feeling reached his gut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reality was something she coveted at this moment. She had forgotten who she was, where she was, and who were all these people looking at her so intently. 

Then she remembered. _Buffy........................_

Her daughter had been missing for almost two weeks, the others tought her alive, but she felt her dead. 

Cordilia had a vision the day before, that had the others searching frantically for something that would lead to clues to where Buffy and Spike were at. 

She moaned internally as she sunk her head further into her pillow. Her baby, her little girl was out there.

_Take care of her Spike,....Please............._

She knew he would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She watched as Taqa slept. He was so peaceful, so fullfilled, she envied him.

Today was Spike's operation and they had no idea what was to be expected. She had been granted permission to be with Spike during the operation and she intended to do just that, she was not leaving his side until he came awake.

Lawrence said it was going to be painful but again, they had no idea what to expect. 

She sat alone in the little room that Taqa's withered body occupied. He was so fragile, she could break him so easily, but in a couple of days she would be as helpless as a kitten.

She shuddered at dread of the coming hours. 

Right now she had to be strong, strong for Spike, right now he needed her, and she was going to play the part. 

Although he had not said it, she felt he too was scared. Scared of what might happen, of never waking up, of leaving her behind, and of many forbidden topics that were off limits to their conversations.

"Love,...." the small figure whispered from the bed.

Buffy immediately jumped up and reached for Taqa's hand. He liked feeling their touch, her's and Spike's. 

But she was alone, Spike said he had business to discuss with the immortals, she let him. The other prisoners felt their own fate press on their shoulders and made little quarrel with each other. 

"Taqa?"

"Oh little one......how grand life is." he said softly looking at her. Strong tired eyes that held her gaze and read her inside out."Your fear has woken me."

"I'm sorry....."

"No, I will not have it." he said squeezing her hand lightly.

Buffy smiled at the old wiseman. 

"You must not fear for William, he is a good man." he said looking at her eyes. "He will come back, he always does."

She smiled sadly. "Yes, he always comes back, doesn't he?"

The man smiled and nodded. "A good one, William is." he exhaled lightly. 

"Yes, good........good." 

"Child," he began "You remind me of an old proverb. It says: Once bitten by a snake, she is scared all her life at the mere sight of a rope."

Buffy's brows wrinkled. She hated ancient talk, it reminded her of Giles and his prophecies.

He smiled at her frustration. "It means that those who are discouraged by their first failure are afraid of trying again."

She understood and saddly nodded. Angel, her fear was Angel. Loving a vampire, suffering for it. Afraid of letting go, afraid of being left all alone, again. Searching in the wrong places. A tear slid down her face.

"But Spike is evil, he's....he's not sorry for anything. Would that not also be going against my destiny, against my path." her voice was soft and quivering.

"William" he smiled. "That one is a deceiver with a mouth of a dager and a heart of Tofu."

She laughed lightly at his analysis that became all too real.

"Life, life is a grand path. It can be beautiful, it can be deadly. To spend your life calculating what is right and wrong will lead you to death. To spend your life listening to your heart and allowing it to guide you will lead you to beauty. Beauty that does not fade, beauty that does not go away. Death can be right in your face, yet all you will see is beauty."

"He is death..." She whispered in realization and her eyes widened.

"Yet, all you see is his beauty."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part of him was jumping for joy at the thought of the events that were moments from occuring. The other part of him wanted to bolt from the room and get her out of there before he would loose his chances of getting her out. He knew she was no defenseless kitty, but it was the instinct in him that drove him into this overprotective state of despondensy.

They entered the lit room and Buffy gasped at its contents. This was no place to hold an operation as delicate as she knew this would be. 

The room looked like a revisitation of old classics movies from the forties. With mildew green color for its walls, and heavy metal instruments placed in a tray next to a stiff hospital-like bed. 

She gulped, scared that perhaps she had too many hopes and expectations. 

Behind her Spike was not far from her anxiety. This place looked un-healthy. This was no ER. This was just some clean room in an underground facility that was used for miscellaneus purposes, not for a brain surgery like this one.

The nurse asked him to come with her to another room so they could disinfect his head, and Buffy was taken to another room were she had to scrub down her arms if she wanted to remain throughout the operation.

The separation made her itchy, but he gave her a reassuring look and she gathered her wits for him.

Once again they were back together in the room with the white table and heavy metal tools that looked like torture devices. The doctor appeared and asked him some questions before leading him to a mini x-ray room. 

After taking some pictures of the position of the chip they were ready to continue with the actual 'work'.

By this time Buffy was trembling, she hated hospitals, and this one, though older, made her skimmish. 

The nurse asked Spike to lay on the rigid operating table and he complied taking off his coat and handing it to Buffy. 

Buffy stood watching, not sure of what to do, but she was addressed by the nurse who brought an old chair for Buffy to sit next to the patient. 

Buffy looked at Spike who was now getting an anesthesia shot in the inside of his arm. She tried to read his features but was unable to figure it out. She usually could. She frowned and he caught her.

"Hey. No worries." he said looking at her.

She shook her head and smiled. "None at all."

"Good."

The doctor place a curtain like device that stoped on top of Spike's forehead so he could work privately and Buffy would not faint at the sight of the open skull procedure.

He was getting groogy, but he fought it, afraid that these last minutes would be his last, and he was truly not prepared to leave this world he liked so much.

Buffy sensed his nerves of hesitation and steped in instinctively. She took his white cold hand in her warm one and bend over so he could clearly see her.

His blue eyes were dreamy and foggy. He was fighting the urge to close them, wanting to see her one last time. He gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I'll be here when you wake up." she whispered and placed her free hand on top of his firm chest rubbing it lightly in a comforting gesture.

He managed a small smile "Good." he whispered. He was leaving, he felt it and his body when in instant panic. He didn't want to leave, there was much to do much to say,......something was wrong.

She felt his body start as a swift tremble and now it was shaking uncontrollably.

"Try to relax, Spike." The doctor said from his position at the end of the table. "You have to relax, sir. If not, you can go into a seizure."

Alarms went off in Buffy's head at the thought of him dying like this.

"It's ok, Spike. Look....I'm here." she said in a soothing tone leaning in closer on him. His eyes were barely open but he could see her, she was worried. 

"Keep talking to him, he needs to relax." The doctor said concerned. The patient was now in convulsive shivers.

She reached up and started lightly rubbing his scar eyebrow. "Relax, Spike, please......you need to relax.......calm down.......its ok." she said in soothing murmmurs.

Spike could hear her, so soft, so sweet, he was sure he was in a dream. She was being gentle, comforting, touching him with out pulling away. 

Yes, it was definitely a dream.

She looked so beautiful above him, dreamlike, angelike, so soft and pure. He wanted to reach out and touch the golden hair that fell lightly around her face. 

His eyes were drifting, again he couldn't fight it. 

Then he heard her, so far away yet so clear. Whispering lighly on his ear.

_"All my past life is mine no more; The flying hours are gone,_

_Like transitory dreams given o'er, Whose images are kept in store_

_By memory alone._

_The time that is to come is not; How can it then be mine?_

_The present moment's all my lot; And that, as fast as it is got,_

_Phillis, is only thine._

_Then talk no more of inconstancy, False hearts, and broken vows;_

_If I by miracle, can be This live-long minute true to thee,_

_'Tis all that haven allows."_

He drifted, giving up his fight, the last thing he heard was her sweet voice whispering in his ear. The last thing he felt was her warm hand soothing his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_All the things you said to me today,_

_Change my perspective in every way._

_These things count to mean so much to me,_

_Into my faith, you and your baby._

He walked in the sun. It felt like tingling glimmers that burned him in a pure and suptle way. He looked at the blue heavens, how he missed their color.

A blue so exquisite, so radiant, that he had never forgotten it. It called to him, luring him to come play with them.

The grass was cold and soft on his bare feel and he felt like running and shouting of happiness. Behind him, he heard the light laughter of a little girl, shrieking with happiness.

There she was in a field full of fresh spring daisies running to her mother. Something so right, so pure and so envious of this picture panged in his heart.

The woman was petite but strong, dressed in a long white dress that flowed in the breeze yet clung to her body. Her golden hair was loose, soft waves caressing her mid-back. She squated down and held her arms open for the little girl to run happily in to them.

The child was an angel. Couldn't be more than four years old, he thought. She was dressed in a dress the color of the purest blue sky. Her hair was strong waves of brown that clashed her pale, almost white skin. But her eyes, they were the brightest blue, large and clear, there was something familiar about those eyes as if he had seen them so long ago.

The child ran to the golden woman, dimples forming in multiple places on her face while she giggled when her mother picked her up and spined her in the air.

So pure, _this is perfecion,_ he thought.

Then the golden woman turned to him, and his jaw almost dropped when he saw that it was a smiling Buffy. A smile so real, so pure, he had only seen it once, and she was under the 'will' spell. 

But here she was, smiling at him with nothing but love in her eyes.

"Come on, my love." she said looking at him, still smilling. 

The child smiled at him brightly. "C'mon, daddy! Mommy's making us lemonade." The child said brightly.

He could just stand there and be lost in the moment. How cruel a vision could be. This here, was something he would never have. Not in the sun, not in the grass with flowers, not with a loving-smiling Buffy, not with a child that resembled him so much.

He noticed that Buffy's stomach was swollen lightly, indicating months of pregnancy. 

His heart droped and he felt tears of rage in his eyes. This vision was tearing him apart. He would do anything to have this life. To stay in this moment for eternity. Just to float with these ghost of never-never land that he so loved.

The scene before him froze and Buffy was left motionless, smiling at him with their child at hand. The child was left looking at him smiling with the clear blue eyes that reflected his own, dimples describing her little face. 

This was heaven. He felt his heart crumble underneath his skin as he watched the 'photograph' standstill before him.

"Beautiful aren't they?" asked the man who walked up behind him.

He glanced over to find a walking, healthy Taqa, smiling at the scene before them.

"Why show me this, Taqa, why torture me?" he said growing in anger at his vision.

"No torture."

"YES TORTURE! How could you?" he asked enraged. "You know this is something I could never have."

"Why not William?" the old man asked looking at him.

"You know why! I am a vampire! She's a slayer! She's alive, I am NOT!" He ran his trembling hand over his blond hair.

"Look at her, she looks so happy." Taqa commented looking at the woman.

"I know." Spike said biterly.

"You made her happy."

"This is a mirage, a vision, something that is not true." he almost screamed in frustration.

"You know." the man begun. "You're only man who has been able to make her that happy."

Spike shook his head in defeat. "That was a spell, its wasn't real, our feelings weren't real, its was a cruel joke."

"Ah,....yes, a spell." he said nodding. "What was the spell?"

Spike took an unneeded breath. "Willow willed us to be engaged."

"Where you in love?" the man asked.

"Of course I was, I was days from walking down a bleeding altar with her." 

"But that was not the will of the spell." the man asked looking at Spike.

"What are you implying?" Spike asked curiously glaring at the wiseman.

"Only that one does not need love to be married, yet you two where very much in love."

Spike shook his head in painful surrender. "She's not in love with me. She's too hard headed, like me."

"In that you're right."

"Then again, why show me this....this....this illusion?" he said saddly.

Taqa held out his hands showing off the pasture, making Spike look around. "Do you like this life, William?" he said loudly.

Spike looked around in appreciation. The grass was perfect green, the sky was perfect blue, and _his_ women were perfect in everyway.

"It's heaven." he gasped almost in a whisper.

"Then make heaven allow it, William. Fight for it!" 

Spike was flying again, in pure black mist, _fight for it, fight for it, fight for it...................._

_It's out there, It's out there._

_It's out there, If you want me I'll be here_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_(July 14 @ Sunnydale, CA)_

"You need to eat something." 

"I know." Angel said from his large armchair in the masion. Him and Cordilia had moved in there the day they came to Sunnydale. He looked up at her. She was leaning one hand on the wall and the other was gently placed on her tilted hip.

"But you still haven't eaten." she stated. She was worried. He was usually broody, but this was something else, she wondered if there were psychologist for vampires. 

"I know." He repeated looking back at the window. It was light outside so he was confined to stay within the walls for a few more hours.

"A penny for your thoughts." she said moving across the room and taking the chair next to him.

He looked at her, yup, definitely worried.

"You know what I am thinking." He said looking back at the window.

"Do you think he'll hurt her?" she asked.

"Spike?"

She nodded.

"No, I don't think he would." he said looking at her.

"Why not?" she inquired, she definitely did not trust the blonde vampire.

"I know Spike, and I know the William in him,......he's too much of a hero." he said slowly.

"A hero?" she stated "Angel, he's a killer, I mean, I know you're worried as it is, but everyone has failed to notice that she's not with a 'good' guy, she's with Spike, the homocidal killer..."

"Cordy, I know." he said leaning foward. "But again, I know Spike. When he's around a woman long enough he'll grow protective of her, the last thing he'll do is harm her, on the contrary what I am afraid is the opposite."

Cordilia came into realization and her jaw dropped. "OH, OH.............well.....that is definitely something new."

Angel's jaw tightened. The tought of Buffy with Spike made his stomach churn, but at least she wasn't alone. _Spike,.....if you let anything happen to her,....I swear I'll drown you in Holy Water._ He talked silently to the vampire.

"I know." he repeated.

"Will you stop with the 'I knows'?" she said wearily. "Angel, listen to me, wherever they are the fates don't want us to know, not yet, anyways. So please for once, just for once, trust your childe,.............and I can't believe I just asked you to trust Spike, but I am, and we should ask the others to do the same."

Angel looked up at her and smiled, a real smile, the smile that only Cordy could bring. "You know in your moments of 'Fendi-lessness', I actually think you're smart."

Cordy gave him an irritated look. "Don't compliment me, cowboy, you can't afford me" she smiled at her quick comeback. "Now come on, go drink your blood, I mean not literally,.....well you know what I mean."

"Yeah Cody, I know what you mean." He said and followed her to the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'll be dreaming my dreams with you_

_I'll be dreaming my dreams with you_

_And there's no other place,_

_That I'd lay down my face._

_I'll be dreaming my dreams with you_

The doctor had sewn him up about two hours ago and the nurses had placed him on a wheelchair and rolled him down to their room. They had layed him carefully on his bed.

Buffy had taken off his some of his clothes to make him more comfortable. He was now lying naked from the waist up with a thin white sheet that covered his legs up to mid-waist. 

He looked deathly pale.

The doctor had said that he would be out for a couple of hours, just to keep an eye on him, he was a vampire and would recover very fast.

So she waited.

At first she had pulled a chair next to his bed and sat there talking to him, while holding his hand and rubbing his chest lightly.

But after an hour she felt she needed more contact, she needed to feel him alive. 

He was a corpse at the moment. He, Spike, was not there.

So she stood and layed next to him placing his dead arm around her waist and leaning her head on his shoulder, while her fingers drew lazy pictures on his bare chest.

He felt so cold and this frighten her. The doctor said he would awake with a lot of pain in his head, but it would swiftly go away in a couple of hours. Buffy hated the doctor, he was so impersonal, treating Spike like a side hobby he did when he was bored.

She had asked him about Spike's strength, and the doctor said that was gone when they gave him the "special" anesthesia. Buffy fumed, they gave him no warning! He was going to wake up weak and in pain.

She braced herself for the vampire's temper, that she knew would explode at the discovery.

"Did I ever tell you about the time when I burned down my old high school's gym?" she asked the body. She lifted her gaze to his still face.

His hard lines seemed softened. He looked innocent, he looked young. _Peaceful_. She thought.

She traced her finger lightly around his face memorizing everyline. "You are so beautiful..."

His cheekbones where hollow and lifted at the same time. She knew that this is what gave off his bad ass appearance and smiled as she remembered the first time she saw him. He had scared the crap out of her. 

When at first he had moved out of the shadows in the alley behind the Bronze she saw him as dangerous. But the type of danger you want to love. Like the adventure you're dying to go on, the wild ride that he would bring. _Fine as hell. _Was her thoughts, she remembered. But then he had to ruin it all being....a vampire and all cocky and conscided does that.

She felt fire when she was near him, like you wanted to dust him and kiss him at the same time. His entire body language had been suggestive. Almost as if he had said that first day "What happends Saturday?", "I shag you."

Well that would have taken a different turn in their relationship.

She would have never liked him in an 'I hate you so much' type of a way. Probably would have killed him that very night.

Every guy she had met up to that point have swooned over her. Even Angel, in their first meeting she had seen the want in his eyes. But not Spike, yeah it was foreplay, but in a 'look what you ain't getting' type of foreplay.

He pissed her off so much that it burned her. Then she remembered when she had dropped that organ on him. 

She cringed. 

"Sorry" she whispered. "Well you deserved it, and besides, if I hadn't done it you would have never come to me for help with Angelus, then Drusilla would have never left you, and you would have not tried to get the gem of Amara, then you wouldn't have come back to Sunnydale to be captured, and you wouldn't have that chip in your head, and I wouldn't have been 'engaged' to you, and right now I would not be in love with you." 

She gasped. 

What if he heard her? She couldn't believe that she said the forbidden words out loud. 

_Damn_. She cursed herself silently.

_It's out there, It's out there_

_It's out there, If you want me I'll be there_

But looking at him now, all the past seemed not to matter. Right now he looked defenseless, vulnerable, begging to be loved. She reached up and kissed his lips lightly, enjoying the coldness of them._ Good on a hot summer day. _She thought smilling.

"Spike,......if you can hear me at all,......please........I need you to come back......I need you Spike, we'll make it through, you and I, if we make it here, we can make it anywhere."

A tear slid down her cheek and landed on his nose, she bent down and kissed it off, pausing briefly to smell him.

He smelled so good, just like him,.....musky and manly. 

_"Do we really need weapons for this?__" ,"__I just like 'em. Make me feel all manly."_ She smiled, remembering.

"We have a twisted history, Spike, dont we?" she asked. "Let's continue it, please,....don't let this be the last page." she gulped her tears back. "I want to.....I want to take that adventure with you, that wild ride,.......that escape that only you can give me, please, my love." she was trembling with fear. "Don't leave me,........it's not our time,.....it's not your time." Tears were coming freely and slidding down her flushed cheeks. "Wake up and tell me you love me, I know you do." She pressed her nose to his cheekbone. "Wake up and tell me everything's gonna be ok." she sobbed. 

_I'll be dreaming my dreams with you_

_I'll be dreaming my dreams with you_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He said that?" Roderick asked the young man in front of him.

"Yes, Moa Kapitan." Lawrence nodded.

"Well my nephew's mouth always had a way of running away with itself." He said lighting his cuban cigar and exhaling dark smoke into the room.

"Nephew, master?" Lawrence asked interested.

"Yeah.........unfortunately he's the childe of Angelus, who is the childe of Darla, my 'sister' since we were both sired by the master." He seemed bored with the conversation and Lawrence decided not to press him any more.

"What would you like me to do with the 'specials'?" he asked turning his body to point at the screen of two forms lying in bed.

"Let them be, he'll soon wake up. They'll get what's coming to them." he said as smoke engulfed the room. "The princess is not as mercyful as me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And there's no other place,_

_That I'd lay down my face_

_I'll be dreaming my dreams of you_

The first thing he felt was warmth. Sweet human body warmth, then he heard a steady heart beat and the enticing sound of blood running through veins.

He stirred.

Then it hit him, like a thousand waves of holy water pouring and simmering in his head, he was in pain, real pain, pain he had never before thought possible. This was worse than when Drusilla had pulled him from beneath that bloody organ.

He squeezed his eyes shut trying to block it away, but the ardor was taking over his self-control.

She felt him move underneath her and almost jumped. 

He was semi-conscious. She could tell by the way his lips had pressed together in contortion of pain. His eyes, though closed, were jumping underneath the clear tender skin of his eyelids.

"Spike?" she asked softly.

He heard her and wanted to call out to her but he was afraid he would loose the little control he had managed to hold on to. Then he felt her fingers interlock with his. 

He squeezed her hand.

She nearly jumped at the tight pressure. His pressure on her bones hurt and she winced.

He wanted to let go of her hand but his body needed a escape chamber.

"Are you in pain?" she asked.

_Concentrate, mate, let her know you still alive,........for now. _He thought.

With all the strength he could gather, he slowly opened his eyes to focus on her.

His eyes were glazed with pain, his jaw was so tight she thought he might crack it.

"A lot?" she asked placing one hand gently on his cheek.

He nodded lightly.

Buffy reacted instantly and sat up and lifted Spike's limp body, craddling his head against her chest, enveloping one arm around his cold bare back and her other hand came up to his hair.

She rocked him lightly back and forth while he shivered in pain, whispering soothing words in his ear. She softly combed her small fingers throught his blonde head. The insition was completely healed and the only trace left from the operation was a small scar that had lost the hairs in it leaving a clean bald spot.

Her comforting contact brought the pain down considerably. Maybe it was wearing off, maybe it was the fact that she held him in such an intimate embrace. He felt her heart beat on his ear, and her skin burned against his. The tingling sensation of her small hands caressing his burning head was absorbable. 

Those tiny hands that he had fought for so long, only feeling them in rough fists hitting his body to cause him pain, were now healing him. 

Then her soft whispering words drowned him in ecstacy and he cursed not being able to roughly take her in his arms and kiss her. To be all weak and vulnerable was not bad, the pain was possible..... if she just held him like this, he would make it a daily routine to be in pain.

He didn't recall how long she held him, rocking him back and forth, whispering, stroking, hugging,....he just knew he wanted to stay like that forever. Here in the arms of his mortal enemy, here in the arms of the woman he loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning rays had woken him and now he made his way carefully to the door for the morning newspaper. His eyes not yet fixed or in prime shape, he carelessly bent to pick up the paper, surprised to have it missing.

He groaned and looked at his watch, _9:24, the paper should have been here hours ago. _He thought

Looking back down at the brick entrance he saw a manila envelope.

Without thinking twice about it he bent down and picked it up.

Carelessly he moved to the kitchen to start his tea, he needed to awake. After filling the kettle with water and placing it on top of the crimson circle he turned his attencion to the unexpected package that sat looking at him from the counter.

He picked it up and inspected it, no return address, no stamp, nothing only "_To: Rupert Giles"_

_Stange_. He thought

He ripped the package open and out of the manilla envelope fell a piece of plain white paper. He turned it to see what on earth this could mean. All it said was:

"Four Days Till the Auction"

He reread the note over and over, when out of realization a sick feeling settled on his stomach. He felt bile rise to his throat and ran to the bathroom to expell the substance.

After of few minutes of shakingly composing himself he ran to the phone, thinking quick he dialed the appropriate person.

After a few rings the sleepy voice came through the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Angel?"

"Giles, what's wrong?"

"It think I know what happened to Spike and Buffy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	6. 

part5

**Calm Before the Storm**- part 5 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics _One_ by Creed.

-Rated: PG-13 (Language, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Fifth part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think, I am far from done, many surprises ahead! My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

Thanks again to my roommate, Karla, for editing the stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Affirmative may be justified_

_take from one give to another_

_The goal is to be unified_

_take my hand be my brother_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_(Day of aution, Egypt)_

"How long do you think they'll keep us in here?" Buffy asked Spike as he passed back and forth in the 'cage' that the guards had transfered all the prisioners into.

He paused and looked at her, she was sitting in the floor with a withered Taqa lying on her lap, his head was propped up on her knee and his body was covered with Spike's duster. 

"Probably 'til the buyin' begins" he said running a hand through his short blonde hair. He had recovered fully from his operation in one short day. Buffy had stayed by his bedside the entire time. At the end she looked so tired and weak he forced her to eat something and get some rest. 

But the worst was that his strength was gone, he could feel his demon ragging inside, tormenting him and taunting him for his debility. 

Her strength was also gone, she was as vulnerable as any twenty year old girl. She still had her fighting skills, but against unhumans it was worthless. They had come to their room the day before, holding him at stake point while they injected her arm with the yellow substance.

She had cried out for him when they did it, but again he was weak and there was nothing he could have done to help her. After they left, she had sobbed against his chest, and for the first time in his life he had felt how tiny and small she was. So pure and soft it was almost unbearable to see her like this. 

That night they had slept together, finding comfort in each other's presence.

Today was different. There was rage cursing through his vein and he was ready to kill the first thing that threatened his or her life. 

He had talked to the immortals for a while and they were planning a surprise escape. But their strength had also been drugged. The plan was chattered. 

So he mentioned nothing to Buffy in fear of giving her false hopes, he knew that, at the moment, she was willing to try anything. 

There she sat on the dirty floor holding the dying man in her lap. 

Taqa was another thing, didn't they see he was dying?

But still the old man was being left to wither away in dirty prison cells, on top of a girl he hardly knew.

"William..." the soft voice came.

Spike instantly reacted and was down on the floor next to the man who had not spoken in hours. 

"Taqa?" he asked bending over.

The wise man slightly opened his eyes and smiled at Spike.

"Fight for it William........if you want it..........fight for it." He said reminding Spike of the dream he had the night of the operation.

Spike paled, he hoped Taqa said nothing he did not want Buffy to hear. "How? How do I fight it?"

The old man took a deep breath finding his strength. "Today.......I leave this world." He paused.

Buffy felt tears swell in her eyes, but she had cried so much in the past two weeks she didn't have the strength to cry anymore.

"No Taqa, don't say that." Spike said shakily.

Taqa smiled. "Always stubborn." 

Spike smiled in spite of the situation.

"Listen to me.........when they take me.......keep looking at me............I'll let you know when the time comes........" he whispered.

"Time comes for what?" Buffy asked fearing the old man might expire.

Taqa took a deep breath. "William, my time has come...........but I will repay for an old favor to an old friend...."

Spike was frustrated, he didn't understand. "Taqa?"

"Long ago you gave me the chance to live......today I pass that chance.....to....you." With that, the old man fell asleep again having used all of his remaining strength.

Spike stared at the figure trying to process the information, he hated when he talked in riddles. 

Buffy passed her trembling hand over the man features and looked at Spike. "Spike?"

He looked at her and found tears cursing down her face, "Today he dies" was all that Spike could say before the metal door pulled open and five large guards busted in. They grabbed both the immortals and dragged them out of the door before anyone could protest. Some of the other creatures started making noise while they started dragging prisoners out, Spike stood in front of Taqa and Buffy protectively.

But it was not them who the guards where after, and soon they were the only ones left. 

_The payments silenced the masses_

_Sanctified by oppression_

_Unity took a back seat_

_Sliding further into regression_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Egypt." 

"What?" Joyce asked jumping from her seat.

"Egypt, that's were it's being held this year." Angel responded looking around the room at the tired and worried faces.

"And you're sure they're there?" Xander asked. He couldn't sit quietly.

"Positively, actually my source tells me that they are to be the 'specials'." Angel responded.

"What does that mean?" Riley asked, his eyes narrow with the tought of Buffy being hurt by some rich demon cult.

"That means that they will be sold to the highest bider, the special are usually rarities, like royals, masters, things of that sort." Giles said passing the room.

"But Buffy..." Willow started.

"She's a Slayer." Angel said looking down. "It has been forbidden........until now."

"What makes her different?" Xander cried. 

"She quit the council." Giles stated in almost horror.

"You mean they did this to her?" Riley asked walking towards the man. 

Giles shook his head in frustration. "They didn't do it,.........they allowed it."

Everyone was silent for a while.

"What does Spike have to do with this?" Joyce asked Giles.

"I...I don't know." he responded.

"He's a Master Vampire." Angel stated. "Never has a master Vampire and a slayer worked together, they were practically sitting targets for the rich and powerful." 

"Oh Goddess!" Willow exclaimed and Tara was at her side immediately.

"What I don't understand is why don't they fight, I mean Buffy by no means is weak, and Spike,...well although he has the chip he can fight demon, and they're all demons." Cordilia asked from next to Angel. 

"If the council is behind this, which I have no doubt that they are, they must have taken her strength away." Giles said rubbing his temples.

"Her strength?" Riley asked. "How can they take that away?"

"Council is the only one with the antidote for Slayer strength." he said "Temporary, but enough to weaken her to a normal human."

Joyce gasped. Spike couldn't fight because of the chip and Buffy had no strength, the fear of never seeing her daughter again filled her mind.

"Wait! Cordy didn't you say that in your vision you saw Spike in a hospital bed?" Xander asked getting a sudden illumination.

"Yeah, his head was bandaged and Buffy was holding his hand while he was in pain." she replied remembering the phanthasm.

"They took his chip out." Willow realized in a very worried tone.

"He could kill her!" Xander and Riley shouted at the same time.

"NO!" Angel said standing up. "He won't kill her." 

They all stared at him in surprise.

"I agree with him." Joyce spoke up from her chair. "He wouldn't hurt her."

"How do we know this?" Riley asked exasperated.

"I know my childe, he won't hurt her." Angel said staring at Riley.

"Well he's only tried to kill her five hundred times." Xander said mockingly.

"Guys!! Hello!" Cordilia cried. They all looked at her as she walked to the center of the room. "Does anyone even care to analyze the rest of the vision? After the hospital, after the auction, he helps her escape."

"And then she was crying in a field." Willow finished for her with sadness in her voice.

Everyone understood, in the near future a master vampire would sacrifice himself to save a slayer.

"I'm going to Egypt." Angel stated standing up and heading to the door.

"What do you mean you're going?" Cordilia cried after him.

"I am NOT going to stand here and let my childe die, leaving Buffy all alone." he said looking hard at her "They need us."

"I'm going with you." she said. 

"So am I." Riley said from his side of the room. "She's my girlfriend." he added.

Angel glared at him. "Fine." He looked at Joyce. "Don't worry Joyce we'll bring her back."

With that he turned with Cordy and Riley on foot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_One, oh one_

_the only way is one_

_One, oh one_

_the only way is one_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_(Egypt)_

_"_Are you sure this is wise?" Roderick asked the princess as she was leaving his office.

"Roderick, nothing you do is very wise, per 'se, but I don't question your motives." She looked straight at him.

He sighted. "Fine, go and have a nice chat." He waved his hand carelessly for her to leave. 

She smiled "I'll see you in a while, darling." 

She hated the smell of prisons, they stunk of death and blood. But she gathered her composture and kept walking down the hall. She was escorted by three guards. 

"We moved them this morning, highness, for the auction that is." the Jailer named Pili said over his shoulder.

"What condition are they in?" she asked looking at the walls full of debree and dirt.

"Weak, they can't hurt you." he responded and stood in front of a large door.

"Good." she smiled and the door sung open to reveal the Slayer on the floor with the old wise man lying on her lap asleep and the master vampire passing the room in frustration.

They both turned to look at the beauty in the door. 

Spike eyed her carefully, she didn't smell human, and a look in her eyes reminded him of Drusilla. 

Buffy was repulsed by her, looking all glamourus and clean. She was exotically beautiful and she saw Spike eyeing her appreciatively and a pang of jealousy rang through her ears.

"Who are you?" Spike asked as she entered the room gracefully.

"I'll ask the questions." she stated and walked carefully to stand in front of him. They waited for her to talk. "You're Spike." she eyed him carefully.

"Am I allowed to answer the question?" he said harshly. Buffy smiled to her self, he was not intimidated with the woman. 

She got closer to him. "Tell me, are you going to be this difficult?"

"Lady, I have been imprisoned, poisoned, cut open, and debilitated, 'difficult' is a light reaction to what I am feeling."

She smiled at him and stood back. "Good."

"Good?" Buffy repeated from her position.

Kamilah glazed her eyes down to Buffy then looked back at Spike. "Take off your shirt."

Spike snorted. "Sure, darlin'" 

Her eyes bore in to him and her smile faded. "Don't be 'difficult', _William_, I want to inspect the merchandise." 

A menacing growl came from Spike's throat, so animalistic it frightened Buffy. "I am no bloody piece of merchandise, you bitch."

"If I decide to buy you, darling, you will be whatever I want you to be." She responded.

Buffy was growing furious, how dare she just waltz in here, all perfumated and talk down to him like that?!

"Take it off." she repeated.

Spike looked at Buffy who was turning beat red with anger. 

Kamilah noticed and glanced at the slayer.

"Tell your boy to remove his shirt." she said to Buffy who was looking at her intently.

"He's his own man, and he does what he what he wants." Buffy responded coldly never removing her eyes from Kamilah.

"Do you want to live?" she asked them. They didn't answer. They were tired of being threatened by creatures they would be able to defeat on any other day.

"Do you want her to live?" she asked again looking directly at Spike.

She knew the answer and didn't move until he complied.

Spike slowly reached for the back neck of his shirt and pulled it off his head.

Buffy gulped, _Good God, he's fine. _She thought. Then glared at the approval look that the woman was giving Spike's body. 

Kamilah looked appreciatively at Spike's hard chest. He could have fooled anyone with the black duster he always wore. But underneath the leather was the stone. Hard chiseled, white sculpted chest, that looked as if carved from pure adamantine. 

She smiled and walked around him eyeing him appreciatively, up and down, from his bulging shoulders to his washboard stomach. 

Spike was fumming. This had gone far enough, he felt like he had been placed on display. He didn't mind the attention, in fact attention from beautiful women were one of his favorite things. But this was not a woman, she was a demon who felt, smelled, and looked evil, as evil as they come.

"Glad you're pleased, _pet_." He said through clenched teeth.

She stood in front of him once again. "Shirt?" she asked extending her hand that clickled with the noise of golden bracelets. 

He hardened his jaw and cocked his head, raising an eyebrow. He stared at her until he gave up, she was not the yielding kind. He handed her his black t-shirt.

She smiled and took it. "Good. Glad we have an understanding." She turned to walk out but paused and looked back at him. "And this.." she said, signaling his shirtless apparel. "Get used to it, from now on you go shirtless." 

"Excuse me." Buffy said in a hard voice.

"Pet..." Spike warned her, but she ignored him.

"Who the hell are you?" she continued.

Kamilah stoped and looked at Buffy with almost a warning stare.

"Princess Kamilah Habu, and soon to be your master." she said with the authority she knew she possesed.

"You can't be a Habu, Hadi died last year and left no heir to the throne." Spike sneered at her. 

Kamilah smiled at his knowledge, she was going to have fun with this one.

"Aren't you the little informant?" she asked sarcastically. "Me and my twin brother were hidden for our protection, in two days we will retake the throne."

Spike jumped "Are you crazy? Do you know what happens if the portal opens?" he cried.

"What portal? What's going on, Spike?" Buffy asked setting down Taqa and standing to look at Spike. But his eyes flared daggers at Kamilah.

"Relax, darling, it's all been taken care off." she said dismissively. Not letting them get a word in she walked out the cell, shuting the door behind her.

_I feel angry I feel helpless_

_Want to change the world_

_I feel violent I feel alone_

_Don't try and change my mind_

Buffy turned to look at Spike's worried face.

"What portal?" she asked again.

Spike became aware of her presence and looked at her. "We have to find help." he stated, then started to pace the room.

She looked at him while his face twisted in anger and frustration. "Spike!" she cried, he looked at her.

She looked ticked off and he shrugged.

"Luv, the portal is what separates hell and earth. If the portal is opened at the right precise time, the wrath of Anro Mainyus will pass through and rule over the earth." he said with almost fear in his eyes.

"What is handromayonnaise?" she asked still confused.

"Anro Mainyus." he corrected her.

"Whatever."

"It's the Arabic name for Satan, you know the 'big bad' with capital B." He continued. "If this happens we basically have hell on earth."

"What is it with demons and trying to end the world?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, except for thou." she said sarcastically.

"We have to get help! We have to tell your watcher, we've got to get Angel, him and I have see this before." he said and continued rambling not looking at her.

"I am the only one here with rational thought?!" She cried at him.

He gave her a confused look.

"WE are about to be sold, in a couple of minutes guards will walk in this door and drag us to be sold to 'Ho number two and her twin asshole, and we have no strength to fight it, do you remember that?" she shrilled.

"Hey! The world is about to get turned to one big sauna and your worried 'bout ball and chains? I though YOU were the slayer?" he screamed back at her. "I am the one who's supposed to be dancing at the thought of seeing the 'horned one', not you!"

"I am NOT happy with hell paying us a visit, but in case you forgot we are trapped, Spike!" she was fumming with anger. "Nobody knows where we are at, no one's gonna know what hit them because by this time tomorrow that, that, that, ho is gonna be taking off more than your shirt!" 

"We don't have time for this, Slayer." he said getting more upset by the minute.

"Why not? I am not going anywhere and neither are you! For now.." she cried.

"Why is this bothering you so much?" he asked loudly shortening the distance between them until their noses were almost touching.

"What is bothering me so much? The fact that you are ignoring the current problem!!" She lifted her chin.

"No, the fact that it's pissing you off that her worshipfulness will have her hands all over me by tomorrow afternoon." he said looking into her angry eyes.

"Oh Please!" she cried turning bright red. "Aren't you the conceded one? As if I would think of YOU as anything more than a mere vampire?" she cried. 

"And you're the weak slayer."

Her eyes widened at his retort, how dare he play with her debilities, _Well two can play at this game._

"And you just keep on running into ho's that will eventually use you silly." she screamed at him.

"Well at least I don't fuck the person I love and then run a sword through them!" he shouted. "Better yet I don't shag captain' peanut everynight and the second I'm kidnapped I forget his name!"

She felt tears of hurt raising to her eyes, but it only got her madder she instinctively reached her hand up and slapped him hard across his jaw.

He looked at her astonished. He knew he had hit a weak spot and she was not going to take it from him. Before he knew what he was doing he reached out and grabbed her shoulders, smashing his mouth on hers.

She was shocked beyond words, he was kissing her! All the intensity of the arguments had boiled her blood over and she was not only lonely at the moment but horny at the same time. She immediately kissed him back savoring his cold tongue and wrapping her arms around his hard shoulders. 

Both pressing into each other until their bodies couldn't get any closer. She felt his bulge press against her thigh and she moaned in pleasure.

He had tangled his hand in her soft hair and was twirling his fingers in it until they were numb with the pure joy of the feeling of her silk.

She pulled away to take a breath and he didn't waist anytime and started on her neck. Her nails grabbed and scratched his shoulders in pleasure. She wanted him so bad, all she was feeling, frustration, anger, jealousy, hurt, sadness, desperation, and her love for him that they had concealed for so long was fired in that kiss.

He could hardly believe that she had kissed him back, so willingly, so desperately. Desperate, that's what they were, he knew it, but he also knew that he loved her more than unlife. He didn't know whether she loved him or not but for that one moment he could pretend, pretend was good, good enough for him.

They were abrutly interrupted by the harsh opening of the door. Both pulled back with arms still encircled around each other. The guards walked in. 

"Let's go you three." he said.

Buffy and Spike looked at each other then at Taqa who was sleeping peacefully on the floor covered with Spike's coat. They felt ashamed that they had forgotten their friend all in a moment of lust.

Buffy was still breathing hard when Spike let her go to carry the old man. The loss of his touch made her feel vulnerable and needy. She watched his strong back as he lifted easily the old man. 

Spike looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes, he motioned for her to lead the way and she did. 

The guards let them through some stairs, until they reached the top that led to a door. It was opened easily and they were motioned to go in. 

A loud rumbling noise was getting louder and louder by the minute.

Entering they found that the wall on the other side was indeed not a wall but prison type bars that showed the grand room. Buffy jumped when she saw the sight before her. They were on the ground floor of a coliseum looking structure. 

The structure expanded upwards as far as her eyes could see, it must have been ten stories high, made out of solid brick and cement. The roof was covered with aluminum linning that prevented sunlight from dropping in. The interior rows were filled to capacity by every type of demon known to man. 

In the top levels were the roudier crowd, they were screaming and shouting in languages she didn't understand. At the bottom part of the coliseum was the bidding crowd. Rich, powerful demons, vampires, you name it. 

She turned around to help Spike with Taqa, but before she could reach for them two of the guards started to yank him out of Spike arms.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he asked keeping the old man's body out of rearch.

"It's his turn!" The guard yelled at him.

"Fuck you!" Spike spit back.

Buffy ran to them "Stay away from him!"

The guard looked at the slayer and roughly backhanded slamming her against the wall.

Spike instantly morphed torn between killing the guard before him or letting Taqa go.

"No William, no more bloodshed." the old man in his arms said. "Its my time."

Spike fought to control himself and pulled his demon back in.

Buffy struggled to her feet, her entire body aching, she hobbled to where Spike was at and gave the guard a nasty look. 

"Naqa......I can't." Spike almost whispered out of anger and frustration.

The old man smiled at him. "Let me go, William.....remember to look at me, never avert your gaze from me."

Spike nodded. "Thank You" was all he could say before the guards took the old man who was wrapped in his coat from his arms leaving him standing there with open arms were he had held his mentor.

Buffy's tears started to come, knowing how much pain this was causing him and her. She truly cared for the wise man, and she could only imagine how much it hurt Spike.

He just stood there looking at the door. Then down at his arms.

Buffy came up behind him and snaked her arms gently around his bare waist, bringing her head down to his back. "C'mon." she whispered tugging him lightly.

"I can't watch." he said hoarsely. 

"You promised him." she said looking up at his bent head.

He turned and walked to the bars that showed the arena. Here they had a clear view of the stage where they had sold the others and where Taqa would be auctioned, and soon where they would stand. 

He just stared at the inhumanism before his eyes. It repulsed him, this was not right, he felt it in his bones. His face hardened when he saw Taqa being brought to the "stage" wrapped in Spike's duster, in the arms of the guard who had hit Buffy.

He remembered her and turned to find her looking in horror at the scene before her, he stretched out his hand for her to take it.

Tears were building in her eyes as she realized what would happen to them in a few minutes. She looked down at his offered hand and laced her warm fingers into his cold ones giving her a bit of reassurance. At least they had each other.

He pulled her towards him till they both stood in front of the bars looking into the crowd, who had begun to shout and scream as the wise had been recognized.

Buffy burried her head in Spike shoulder unable to look at the guards forcing Taqa to stand on his own. His body was so weak it waved from side to side like a leaf in the wind. 

Spike swallowed and braced himself, squeezing Buffy hand for reassurance. They stood there as the old man gathered his last strength and turned his body to look at the doomed couple. 

_Society blind by color_

_Why hold down one to raise another_

_Discrimination now on both sides_

_Seed of hate blossom further_

Spike's eyes met Taqa's. He heard the words in his head _"Fight for it, William."._ Spike's eyes grew round as he watched in slow motion Taqa raise his arms to the ceiling and whispered words that he did not understand. 

A sudden force so unexplainable, so undescribable hit Spike with such intensity that he flew clear across the cage, smashing his body against the concrete and slumping down to the floor.

Taqa's body was gone, disappeared, vanished into thin air. The only trace of his presence was Spike's discarded coat laying lifeless on the stage.

Buffy was in a state of shock. She watched in horror as Spike's body was thrown across the room, hitting him against the wall and slipping to the floor where he had curled up into a fetal position. 

She practically ran to his side. "Spike!" she cried bending over him. "What happened?" she was frantic.

He slowly rose and sat up looking at her in shock. "No." he stated 

"What happened?" she said as a hand went up to touch his face. 

"I feel,....weird." he said looking past her to where Taqa had stood. Then suddenly a need to breath over came to him and he started coughing violently. Gasping for air.

Buffy watched him in horror. Thinking he was choking she started to pat his back but he shook his head. 

"What's wrong?" she asked worried. 

He finished coughing and slowly concentrated on breathing. 

"Spike......why are you panting?" she asked shakily.

"I'm breathing." he almost whispered.

She shook her head in denial. 

"I'm breathing." he repeated. "I need to breath."

Instinctively she reached out and placed a hand on his bare chest. His chest was rising and falling, rhythmically, then something hit her, so soft yet so hard. 

She couldn't remove her hand but her body shook in realization. She slowly raised her sight to meet his. He was a sight of pure shock.

"Your heart is beating, Spike." she said almost in a whisper.

_The world is heading for mutiny_

_When all we want is unity_

_We may raise and fall, but in the end_

_We meet our fate together_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's the news?" Cordilia practically shouted as Angel walked in through the door. 

He looked up at her avoiding Riley's piercing eyes.

"They're being sold as we speak." he said quietly.

"What?" Cordy pipped.

"So what do we do?" Riley asked ready to rescue his girlfriend and kill anyone or anything that had hurt her.

"We wait." Angel stated. He walked into the hotel room and sat on the edge of one of the beds.

"Wait?" Riley nearly screamed at him. "We've been waiting for days! Weeks! I can't wait any longer, not when she's so near."

"We wait, if you ever want to see her, we wait." Angel said annoyed at the boy.

"Why?" Cordy said worried about the news that Angel might have found.

He knew what she meant and looked at her large brown eyes. 

"If we bust in right now, they will kill them.....if we wait until they are sold we'll track them down and get them out." he replied taking his shoes off.

"But wait a second, what if they take them out of the country? What then? What if they want to kill her?" Riley asked turning colors.

"They'll keep them here. I found out who's buying them." Angel said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Who?" Cordy asked taking his shoes from where he had thrown them in the floor and placed them in thier "closet".

"The Habu family." 

"Who's that?" Riley asked taking a seat across from Angel on the other bed.

"The richest demon family on earth." he responded.

"Richest?" Cordy's head came into view with the magic word.

"Yes." Angel said giving her a glare.

"Touchy much?" she replied.

"But they could kill her." Riley said trying to get his attention back for more answers.

"And Spike." Cordilia said "Wait, erase that."

"Nobody's dying! They are not going to pay millions of dollars to sacrifice them." Angel stood.

"So what are they planning with them?" Riley asked looking at the vampire.

Angel looked at Cordy "Well that's what we have to find out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Marhaba, sir." The guard said to the man in the Armani suit.

"Evening, Kama." he replied.

"How can I help you sir?" 

"I'm here to see the 'specials'" He replied.

"Do you have clearance, sir?"

The man gave the guard a hard insulting look. 

"Of course you do, pardon me, please follow me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_One, oh one_

_the only way is one_

_One, oh one_

_the only way is one_

"How can this happen?" Buffy asked a now pacing Spike.

For the past twenty minutes they had found that all his physical qualities were human, yet his strength and healing abilities were still vampiric.

"What are you?" she asked looking at him.

"Buffy, if I had all the answers I would not be worried." Spike said annoyed.

She stoped for a moment and realized he had used her name. Bringing a small pleased smile to her face.

He looked at her smiling. "This is funny?" he asked.

"No, its not that."

"Then what?"

"My name,........you called me by my name." she said looking down.

Spike shrugged. "Well it's yours ain't it?"

She nodded quickly and dismissively.

"They're gonna kill you aren't they?" she asked him after a while. "I mean if they find out....."

He looked at her face, she was almost sad.

"I don't know, luv." he replied quietly.

She took a deep breath and nodded. 

"No theories then?" she asked playing with her hands.

He walked over and sat next to her in the floor. Both of them with feet outstretched before them and their backs leaning against the cold wall.

"Not one." he said looking straight ahead.

"I am glad." she said finally after a long silence.

He looked at her to find her staring at him.

"I mean not glad with the timing,..........but glad with what happened." she said quietly.

He took a deep breath not wanting to break the moment.

"C'mere." he said offering her his arms for a warm embrace.

She slid closer to him wrapping one arm around his waist and laying her head on his warm bare chest, with the other hand she brought it gently next to her head. His heart was beating loudly underneath her, his chest was rising and falling with the orgasmic rhythm of breath.

She smiled when he wrapped his arms around her in a loving embrace. Somehow this was different than the others they had shared, this time they were clear of the attraction between each others and this time it was an embrace that cried: I need you.

Spike looked down at her, she was smiling. He was taken back at how beautiful she was, in reaction his heart started to beat wildly. She noticed and looked up at him with a sly smile.

"Am I making you nervous, baby?" she asked.

Spike looked at her teasing face and smirked. Without saying a word he slowly moved in on her until their noses were almost touching. 

She looked into his blue eyesand saw nothing but love. Slowly she raised her head and kissed his nose. Then looked at him, his eyes were cloudy with lust.

Bringing one hand up to her face he cupped it in his large hand.

She nervously licked her bottom lip in anticipation.

He saw her gesture and smiled. "Am I making YOU nervous, baby?"

She couldn't wait more and brought her hand up to his neck pulling his head down to meet her mouth.

The instant before their mouths touched the door was unlooked and opened.

They instantly jumped and looked at the door.

A man walked in.

"Lawrence?" Buffy said still in Spike's arms.

_I feel angry i feel helpless_

_Want to change the world_

_I feel violent i feel alone_

_Don't try and change my mind_

TBC...............

I loved the slaping scene, it was my favorite to write, I love them arguing, it always gets personal and spicy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	7. 

The Auction-

**The Warrior and the Slayer**- part 6 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics from Save the Last Dance soundtrack, _Shinning Through_ and _Real World _by Matchbox 20.

-Rated: R (Language, Violence, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Sixth part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

Thanks again to my roommate, Karla, for editing the stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"Yo, they say this love wasn't meant to be_

_Two people from two different worlds,_

_We wasn't meant to be_

_It must have been fate you were sent to me_

_We'll make it through these hard times, eventually_

_Stand hard, fight, walk by faith, not by sight_

_We're all tha same color when you turn off the lights "_

"Shinning Through"excerpt from_ Save the Last Dance Soundtrack_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Darling, what kept you?" Roderick asked Kamilah as she entered the private viewing section of the arena. 

She sat down gracefully next to him and looked at her brother who was in a mini throne in front of them.

"Business." She stated. "Has he said anything?" she asked Roderick signaling her brother.

"No."

She narrowed her eyes at the silent figure. 

"Kamilah, listen to me, how do we know he will comply when the time comes, how do we know he will not back up, or cross us?" Roderick said making her look at him.

"You leave his loyalty to me, you get me a warrior and a slayer." She said and walked off to stand before her brother.

Sethos ignored her presence, he had lost his last nerve with her and her plans for hell on earth.

"Brother.......has it happened?" She asked taking a seat next to him.

"It just did." Was his only reply.

Kamilah averted her gaze to the astounded crowd looking at the discarded black leather coat where the wise man used to stand.

She smiled, very pleased with the way things were progressing. "Good."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I wonder what it's like to be the rainmaker _

_I wonder what it's like to know that _

_I made the rain I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on everyone _

_And you can come and see them when I'm done....when I'm done_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Lawrence?" Buffy asked still in Spike's arms.

Lawrence stoped iand realized that he had interrupted something private, especially by Spike's angry and annoyed face.

"Oh...I...I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." he stutured.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Get on wid' it, will ya?"

Then it hit Lawrence, at first soft then clear as day. Two heartbeats, not one, but two.

He looked at the now disentangled couple with a questioning gaze.

"You're human." He stated to Spike.

_This isn't good, if we can't hide it from Armani R' Us boy, we can never hide it from Princess Ho'_. Spike thought.

Buffy stood in front of Spike defensively.

"There's no use in denying it, I can hear your heartbeat from here." Lawrence said closing the door behind him.

"What are you?" Buffy asked worried.

"The question is when did this happen?" he said walking closer. 

"Why?" Spike asked. "What's it to you, mate?"

"Please tell me it didn't happen when Qaletaqa disappeared?" Lawrence asked with a hint of hope flashing through his eyes.

Spike's hair stood at end, how the hell did he know?

"What's going on?" Buffy asked reaching out for Spike's hand they laced their fingers together.

"Oh God,...it did...." Lawrence bend down and put his head between his legs, like one would do when dizzy.

"Lawrence are you ok?" Buffy was getting concerned. 

"They've played me,.......they played you,........they've played everyone for a fool."

"Who? What the hell are you talkin' 'bout?" Spike asked exasperated.

"Roderick, the twins..." he looked back and stared at Spike. "You're him."

Buffy held tighter to Spike's hand.

"Him who?!! Lawrence PLEASE what are you talking about?!!!" She cried.

"He's the warrior, the souless warrior of the prophesy, 'the one who was once dead, will become alive, with the strength of the wise man." He quoted.

There was silence, pensive silence, as if a warm breeze passed by and one was left to contemplate the beauty of the day.

"Hey! Nobody asked me to be no fucking chosen warrior!" Spike cried leaving Buffy and walking over to Lawrence. "I am not a warrior I am evil! Big Bad! Understand Monkey boy?"

Lawrence looked at him and smiled defeatedly. "It doesn't matter whether you like it or not. No one asked Buffy if she wanted to become the Slayer, but she was chosen, just like you were chosen."

"By whom?" Buffy asked coming behind Spike.

"The powers that be, of course." Lawrence replied wearily.

"Powers that be don't concern me, mate, I don't belong to them." 

"Everything belongs to them." Lawrence said. "They've known all long."

"Who?"

"I told you Roderick and the twins." He said raising his arms in exasperation.

"But you say this all belongs to a prophesy?" Buffy inquired.

"Yes, on the second day of the transition, the twins will join together with the warrior of light and the warrior of darkness, and their strength will bring Anro Manyus to sit on the throne of earth for one hundred years."

"So I am the warrior of darkness?" Spike asked skeptically.

"Yes and No." he replied.

"Would you make up your bloody mind?" Spike yelled at him. End of the world things got him itchy, prophecies concerning him made him hysterical.

"Well you were a warrior of darkness for centuries, but according to the legend you will have a time of redemption where you will join forces with the warrior of light, and that will be Buffy, she's the chosen one, as are you" he said shaking his head. "No wonder they wanted you together, it was all planned out."

Buffy was still in shock. "But he's not a vampire, anymore."

"Right, that was Qaletaqa's purpose, don't you see?" 

At the mentioning of the old man's name Spike lashed out and grabbed Lawrence by the throat pinning him against the wall. "Taqa's death was forseen?" he growled.

"Yessss........he knew it, it was his destiny.........it was yours." Lawrence choked out between breaths.

Buffy came up behind the infuriated Spike. "What do you mean destiny? Do we die?"

The man couldn't speak, he was choking.

"You better talk or I'll watch you die here." She said looking at him.

"Airrr." he begged.

She reached her hand and placed it on Spike's shoulder. "Put him down."

He did, but kept his hand on his throat just in case.

"Again, do we die?" she repeated.

Lawrence was trying to regain his breath. "The thing is......well the thing is."

Spike tightened his grip.

"OK!!" 

"We're waiting." Buffy said crossing her arms at her chest.

"The last part of the prophesy was banned, centuries ago, by a group of monks called the Macuraks. They didn't want the battle foretold or the ending known. They wanted the warriors to make it up as they went." he breathed. "You know, everything depends on your actions and decisions."

"How is it that you know so much?" Spike asked suspiciously. 

Lawrence looked at him. "Before I was initiated to the sacred circle, I had to prove my loyalty, and I worked for three years in the abandoned libraries in Alexandria." He lowered his gaze. "It was I that found the prophesy."

"Why betray your sacred circle you worked so hard to get into?" Spike asked him loosing his grip on the man's throat.

"Because it's my fault....I....because of me is that this tragedy might occur, if Roderick had not known of the prophesy he would have not gone to the ends of the earth to make it happen." He sighted. "And the circle....its not sacred no more...in its beginnings it was meant for unity among the clans, now it's a means of yielding power or profit."

"It still does not explain why kidnap us and sell us at an auction, when they are buying us themselves." Buffy said to Lawrence.

"That's simple, the entire demon community knows of the prophesy. If they found out thatyou two were the warriors needed to complete it, you would already have a price on your head and every bounty hunter out there would be killing anyone to get to you. But if you kidnap an unidentified master vampire and the slayer and sell them at the aucion that you will be calling the shots at, there will be no dangerous questions asked, and no one will know what they're planning." he stopped "And no one will know what hit them."

"Ok, so what is Spike?" Buffy asked.

"The warrior, like I've been telling you."

"I KNOW that, but is he human, vampire, demi-god,...what?" 

"Well he's you, I mean not you but you in traits."

"Me?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, he has healing abilities, fighting skills, strength, velocity, stamina, all those things that make you the slayer, and he's human, does all the things human do." 

"So he's a _he-slayer_?" she asked looking at Spike who looked spaced out, trying to recover from the shock.

"Yeah, he's like superman, you know."

"Bloody fantastic!" Spike cried sarcastically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I wonder what it's like to be a superhero _

_I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown _

_From some other planet,_

_I'd get this funky high on yellow sun _

_Boy I bet my friends will all be....stunned.......they're stunned yeah _

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Bring the specials out." Roderick said to the demon standing watch at the entrance of the private viewing room.

The demon nodded and walked out.

"They're petrified, I can smell their fear." Kamilah said from next to Roderick.

"Wouldn't you be?" Sethos said from his 'throne'

"My dear brother, what they don't realize is that WE are giving them an oportunity of eternity together. If they really love each other, they will comply, and things will proceed according to plan." 

"You have every corner covered, don't you my sister?" Sethos said quietly.

Kamilah looked at him with blades for eyes.

"What if they don't comply, what if they fight it?" Sethos continued. "What then sister?"

"They WILL comply, they will NOT fight." she said icidly. "And then.....I will give you the greatest gift of all my brother."

"What will I do with this earth, Kamilah? We don't own its inhabitants, for them we are aliens, creatures that are not to be trusted." He said looking into the arena. "Events of this kind are deemed barbaric in their eyes."

"Stop with the philisophy, it never got father anything."

"Father was happy with what he had,....this was not what he wanted,.........it's not what he would have wanted."

She stood and stalked towards him. "Father had the key to total dominion over the petty humans that walk in self dilusion that this world is at its grandest, they are so easy to control, their bodies so breakable. Father had it in his hands but threw it away for morality." 

Sethos looked in horror at the demon before him and nodded in understanding. "Aye, sister, wise man our father was, wasn't he?" he whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Straight up what did you hope to learn about here if _

_I were someone else would this all fall apart strange, _

_Where were you when we started this gig _

_I wish the real world would just stop hassling me...and you....and you...and me_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"You wanna help? Wanna make up for the damage you've already done?" Buffy asked getting close to Lawrence after Spike had let him go.

Lawrence looked at Buffy, he had never heard such strength in her voice, it was not her talking, it was the Slayer, straight down to business.

He nodded.

"You're gonna find a safe telephone, one that they won't be able to trace, go to town or something. You're gonna call various people and tell them what 's happened to us, and I mean everything." She paused and looked at him hard. "Got that?"

"Pet, are you sure you want to tell them about you know...me?" he said looking at her.

She looked up and met his blue eyes and smiled "They probably think this is all your fault, you know. You kidnaped me and stuff."

He understood and nodded.

"The first person you're gonna contact is a vampire named Angel, this is his number." She took Lawrence's hand and wrote the number on the palm of his hand, "He will know who else to call. Tell him.......he owes me this much. And that's all I'm asking."

Lawence nodded. 

"Hurry." Spike said. "And....if I find out this is all a setup I will personally rip your balls off and make you eat them." the menacing voice ended. "Got it, mate?"

Lawrence knew he was not kidding.

"Again, I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry and be fast before it's too late." Buffy said looking at him.

Before he had a chance to respond the cell door swung open and three guards came in. "Hurry it up it, we ain't got all day."

Buffy's heart caught at her throat and all the fear she had lost when addressing business came back crashing over her like a tidal wave. She was drowning in her own cowardise and that was killing her most of all.

Spike was in his own roller coaster. He was human. He had a destiny. He was more than another master vampire. He was chosen. Chosen like Angel. He was no longer a childe. 

The powers had promoted him with his own destiny that was more demanding than his almighty sire. He was no longer in the shadows of the poof, his destiny was directly linked with that of the Slayer.

He was warrior. Warriors don't get scarred, they don't fear, they face the world with anticipation and defyment. Somehow the powers knew this, they must also know that he possessed all these qualities. 

Endurance. Agility. Strength. Power. Wisdom. Adaptability. 

He was the one.

Somehow he had always felt it, like there was more out there for him.

He looked at Buffy who was next to him and she looked petrified. _Fight for it. _The words ecoed in his memories and he understood. Enlightment came to him in a flash. He was given the tool, his humanity, he had to fight for his hearts desires, his heaven.

His heaven.

She was his heaven. 

_I see your true color, shinning through _

_I see your true color, and that's why I love you _

Standing next to him. The golden hair. The small frame. The large green eyes. So much life. So much death.

_Fight for it._

He had to fight for her. He, at this moment had to be her strength.

Like she had been his strength when he was ill.

You give some, you get some.

He gathered the force that now ran through his limbs and grabbed her hand, turning her to face him.

Her large green eyes met his blue ones. "Hold on to me." he said low but hard.

The potency of his words and the intensity of his eyes made her nod unconsciously.

He was leading her. Taking care of her. Making her lean on him. Guiding her.

She felt strange.

_I see your true color, shinning through _

_I see your true color, and that's why I love you _

Never before had all the load been taken off her shoulders. She was always in control, always on top of things, always ahead, always focused. But now,.......it was him.

She held on to him.

She followed him.

All she had to worry about was, trusting him. And strangely she did, unquestionably so. At that moment she realized she was no longer afraid, she had him. Spike was with her,....nothing to worry about. 

She almost smiled. 

It felt new.

It felt good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I wonder what it's like to be the head honcho _

_I wonder what I'd do if they all did just what I said _

_I'd shout out an order, I think we're out of this, man, get me some _

_And boy don't make me want to change my.....tone.....my tone.... yeah_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure this is a demon bar?" Cordilia asked Angel as they made their way through the crowd.

"Cordy do you see anything that resembles humans?" He asked her as he held her hand. He had demanded to hold her hand, her being human was an easy target for anything that was inhuman. By holding on to her, she was regarded as his possesion, maybe his dinner.

Cordilia had relaxed into his large hand. Enjoying the coldness and security. She could easily pretend to be upset at his suggestion, but it was a rare suggestion that was welcoming to her.

She looked up at him, he was worried. She could tell, eventhough, he was the hardest person to read. Since he only had one expression, but somehow she could read him. At first she had told herself it was her 'seer' abilities, but after that failed to convince even herself she accepted that she knew him better than anyone else and at some point in her life she had falled completely in love with him.

Yeah, that's right, Queen C. was maddly in love with sex-less soulful vampire. 

The world couldn't be worse.

Yet somehow it was.

"Angel?" she asked quietly once they were sitting at some stools by the bar.

He looked at her. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Cordy, that's two questions you've asked me." He said sensing something was bothering her.

She gave him an annoyed look then proceeded. "I was just wondering, you know, if maybe.....well if you....would....you know,.......act the same way if.....you know if it were......me the one the one missing."

Angel paused and looked at her shy face. This was strange, he had never seen her look so vulnerable. He thought for a second, the wrong answer might have him under her wrath. Yet, shouldn't this answer come to him without thinking?

"Of course." he said quietly."I mean,...you're....you're." 

"I am what Angel?" she inquired desperately.

"Well Cordy, you're my best friend." he said holding tenderly her gaze.

The words were harsh but kind. She knew it. If he gave her a slither of hope, there was always the "we can't". He knew she couldn't deal with that and she nodded. 

Half in appreciation, half in despair and disillution.

"Drink?" he asked breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Vodka,.....straigth up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Please don't change, _

_Please don't break the only thing that seems to work at all _

_Is you please don't change, _

_At all from me to you, and you to me....yeah _

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

The sound was becoming clearer and dreadful. No longer was there a dark corridor, it was transforming into a magical realm of inhuman inhabitors.

The moment they emerge to sight the noise became deafning.

She almost shrunk into him and he tightened his hand. Spectators from left and right, up and down where sizing up the merchandise. 

This was the final moment, the 'specials' had arrived.

They were literally pushed onto the stage like devise that proped them up for inspection.

A demon with a microphone came into view and started talking in a language Buffy couldn't understand, the more he shouted the more the crowd cheered.

Demons from the audience started to shout out phrases, and she could only assume that the auction had begun.

Lights began shinning on their faces and they were forced to turn around, for inspectional purposes.

The more time passed the louder the arena got. Buffy searched the faces in the crowd and all she would find was mutilated apparitions that reminded her of past fights.

It felt like thunder. His heart was burning, beating rapidly. He was still processing all that had happened. He was human, he was meant to be human. Him and Buffy were meant to fight together not against each other. Taqa had died to give him life. Taqa knew his destiny all along. 

He was shaking in anger. How dare some beings that control all that life is make a path for him that he had not approved. Destiny could be shoved up his ass for all he cared. He was his own vampire, well now his own man, the choices he made were decided by him and for him, not by some foretold, impersonal prophesy that had nothing to do with him.

He was in rage. 

The crowd looked like a mass sea of creatures who cared nothing for what tomorrow would bring. Pleasing themselves in their pools of money, to have exotic pets and rare findings. 

Then he felt her. As if all the hairs in his body answered to her gaze. He looked up and there she was. In-human purple eyes staring at him with pure amusement.

He stared back at her, long and hard. She was a devil, a beautiful devil that could mean the death of him. 

Buffy interrupted his stare. "We've been sold."

He looked down at her, confused. "What, pet?"

"She bought us."

He followed Buffy's glare to were he had been staring. To find Kamilah looking at them smiling lightly.

They were grabbed by the guards and roughly taken off the stage to a different back corridor.

They kept walking through a series of tunnels until they reached a door that opened to a type of parking lot.

Before them stood two white vans, with their windows blacked out. The back doors were opened and men, all dressed in robes, stood to greet them.

Before Buffy knew what was happening her hand was torn away from Spike's. Her eyes widened in shock and she desperately tried to get her captors to release her. She heard Spike screaming her name. She knew she was screaming for him.

But her guards were not bulging. 

She looked at the crowd of guards that were trying to control Spike. They started hitting him with crow bars.

"NO!!!!" She screamed. "Leave him alone! SPIKE!!!!"

"BUFFY!!" he yelled trying to cover his head from the menacing metal.

"Please STOP!" she screamed, tears were falling on her face. "Let go of me!!" she struggled.

"Let her go!" Spike screamed trying to crawl.

He saw as they grabbed both her arms and threw her in the back of the other van. The last thing he heard was her screaming and crying his name.

He was enragged, but his body was giving out on him. They had hit him several times on his back with the bar and he could smell his blood from the cuts. Then he was lifted roughly off the floor and thrown into the other van, quickly closing the doors behind him before he could escape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lawrence entered the dark bar. He knew he would not be recognized here and he needed to keep a promise. The bar was dark and full of smoke. Creatures were lingering in the dark corners minding their own business. If you didn't bother them they wouldn't bother you.

He walked to the bar and sat on a stool next to a brunette couple that were talking to each other.

The bartender came up to him. "Kayfahaluk?" the man asked how he was.

"Biheyr." Lawrence replied.

"What'll you have?" the bartender asked. 

"Scotch, on the rocks." he replied.

The man nodded and turned around.

Lawrence waited and looked down at his hand reading it outloud "Angel at Angel investigation."

The brunet man next to him turned on his seat and looked at him.

_Vampire._ Lawrence recognized.

"Yes?" the man asked "Who are are you?"

Lawrence looked at the vampire puzzled. He didn't want any trouble.

"Excuse me, I don't want any trouble." Lawrence turned and looked at the bartender who had brought him his drink and nodded in thanks.

The vampire grabbed his arm and looked at him intently. Lawrence was taken back as he realized that this was not an ordinary vampire, he was different, almost soulful.

"Hey, man ! I said I didn't want any trouble!" Lawrence said looking were the vampire had grabbed his arm.

"You looking for Angel?" the vampire asked.

Lawrence looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Who the hell are you?" Lawrence asked.

"Are you looking for Angel?" the vampire responded.

Lawrence regarded the creature.

"Do you know him?" 

"Yes."

"Good, now let me be." Lawrence said roughly shaking off the grasp.

"Why are you looking for him?" 

"What's it to you?" Lawrence eyed him carefully.

"Curious." the vampire responded.

"Where can I find him?" Lawrence said after a while.

The vampire looked at him up and down.

"You're looking at him." the vampire responded.

Lawrence was shaken by coincidence.

"You're Angel?"

"Hard to believe isn't it?" The brunette that was sitting next to him responded.

"How do I know you're Angel?" Lawrence asked still not convinced.

"Ask me anything." Angel responded.

Lawrence thought carefully, he knew vampires where not to be trusted.

"Ok,....what person who is trouble right now, would come to you for help, saying that they've never asked anything from you?" Lawrence asked almost smiling to himself. This guy was an idiot.

Before he knew what happened to him he was grabbed by his neck, for the second time that day, and was thrown on top of the bar. Angel loomed over him and hissed at his face.

"Where's Buffy?"

TBC.......................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	8. A Terrible Beauty

A Terrible Beauty-

**A Terrible Beauty**- part 7 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics _Outside_ by Arron Lewis and _When you're Gone_ by The Cranberries.

-Rated:R (Language, Sexual Content, Violence, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Seventh part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

Thanks again to my roommate, Karla, for editing the stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And you bring me to my knees_

_All this time I could beg you please_

She woke up and knew she was not happy. Something was wrong but her body hurt too much to know what was bothering her. The last thing she remembered before she drifted off was being trashed into a dark van and driving for what seemed like hours, drifting finally to sleep when the sun came up.

_How ironic, now I am keeping Vampire hours_. She thought.

Then she remembered Spike, they separated her from Spike. Where was he? Was he hurt? 

With those thoughts she opened her eyes to focus on something. 

She felt her body, she felt naked and instantly her eyes darted to her form. _What the hell? _

She was lying on top of the largest pillow she had ever seen, the pillow was made of pure green silk, embroidered with diamonds, mirrors, rubies, emeralds, every type of stone Buffy couldn't identify.

She gasped at its beauty and wondered why someone would let her ruin something so beautiful. Looking from her body and the pillow she focused on her surroundings.

She blinked twice, not accepting the image before her.

_I'm either dreaming or dead_. She thought, taking in her locality.

The room was magestical. It looked like it droped from some fantastical adventure movie. 

It looked Arabic in nature. The colors were breathtaking. Reds, oranges, deep blues, yellows, greens, purples, ivories, stunning her eyes with their ravishing nature.

She gasped. The room must have been as large as her house, with a four poster canopy bed in the middle of the room that was covered with colored silk wrappings. The sheets were of red silk, embroidered with precious stones that covered the entire border of the quilt. There must have been over twenty golden silk pillows, thrown carelessly on top of the bed, shinning brightly against the red. 

In front of the bed was a window, and open window. The doors opened out to reveal an ample balcony that overlooked the ocean. In the rest of the room were closet doors, painted in gold. On the floor were the finest persian rugs she had ever seen. There were decorations of exotic statues throughout the room. The statues were naked women that looked like they were dancing in wonderous ways. 

The room smelled of incense, strong but sensual incense. Music floated in the room, it sounded like light drums with some pipes. It was beautiful. A place were one goes to escape reality.

She stood on her shaky limbs to find a way of escaping.

She was still in wonder at the surrealism of the room. Making her way slowly to the open window she was startled when she heard people walk in. She instinctively hid behind one of the thick curtains.

"You're up." A man's voice said, he stood in front of the curtain were she was hidding. "There's no use in hidding Ms. Summers, I can see through the curtain."

Buffy trembled, she wondered if she had her strength back so she could kick his ass.

"Yes, you have your strength back, but it'll be no use here. And I promise not to hurt you."

She was dumfounded, he could read minds, GREAT! Slowly she emerged from behind the heavy linen drapes.

The man smiled as she came out.

She somehow eased into his smile, it was genuine, his eyes screamed kindness. Yet he was mystical. And young, almost her own age. 

"Look at you, you're a mess." he said looking over her apparel. She looked down. She had to agree with him, her jeans were saggy and dirty, her shirt was stained and ripped, her hair must looked hellish and she felt pale.

"Let's get you cleaned up before we start chatting." He said holding out his hand so she could take it.

"Where's Spike?" she asked looking over him.

The man smiled and nodded. "You're companion is fine, a very violent one he is, but he's fine."

"Where is he?" she asked stubbornly.

"You'll soon find out." he responded lowering his hand.

"I am not going anywhere until you tell me were he's at." She demanded in her Slayer style, placing her hands rigidly on her hips.

The man frowned. "Ms. Summers please, I can only assure you he's receiving the same treatment you are."

Buffy's thoughts raced at all the possibilities that they could be doing to harm him.

"Fast imagination." the man commented. "I can guarantee you they're all overanalysis." he smiled.

"Who are you?" She asked looking over him

"I'm Prince Sethos Habu, I suppose it would be considered that I am your master, but I don't agree with that sorth of foolishness, so you can call me Sethos."

"You're the bitch's brother." She stated looking at him with an enraged expression.

He laughed very amused. "That she is. No wonder she hates you."

Buffy was confused, he was nothing like the princess, some what kind and realizing of truth.

"She hates me?" Buffy asked confussed.

"Very insecure, my sister is, she sees you as a threat." he stated. "Now please, come, dinner's almost ready."

Buffy stood there for a moment regarding him. She finally gave in and took his arm for him to lead her.

_All the time that I felt insecure_

_And I leave my burdens at the door_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'm on the outside, I am looking in_

_I can see through you, see your true colors_

He woke to find himself chained. Still shirt less, cold, _perks of being human _he thought, and tired, so tired.

He opened his eyes to study his surroundings, he was in a fairly fancy room, very exotic looking. A large bed in the middle, many pillows, he noted, a lot of silk, and a window.

An open window. He smiled. _Wankers_. He thought.

He looked up to his chains and started to pull them. 

"Look who decided to grace us with his presence." A female voice said from behind him.

He abruptly turned around cursing his inability to sense danger.

Kamiliah walked to his view.

His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful. Not golden like Buffy, but dark and mysterious, enchanting ang luring. She was wearing a long silk white skirt that hung at her hips and a small top that exposed her perfectly trimmed mid-drift. The white against her olive skin was mesmerizing. Around her slim belly hung a gold chain that gingled when she moved. Her hair was down and cascading around her waist. It was thick and black, a light wave to it and he could smell the jasmine that filtrated through her pores. Her eyes were large and intoxicating, pure purple, so enticing he almost drowned in them.

She walked with graze, not the type of graze that Buffy possesed, but a sultry graze, a tempting graze, as if a touch of her skin will have him prisoner forever. 

He took a few large now necessary breaths. "What do you want?" he asked trying to compose his hormones.

"Why do you fight it William?" she asked coming closer to him, her eyes never leaving his.

He stood and looked at her for a long time. "Has there ever been a man you couldn't seduce?"

She smiled.

He went blank. Her teeth were pure white, and her smile was hypnotic.

"Are you enticing that I am seducing you?" she got closer. "The question is, William..." she stood as close as she could get and leaned on his ear. "Are you ready to break?"

He pushed himself back and looked at her. "You must have alot of time on yer hands." he said not taking his eyes away from her.

"We have all the time it takes." she replied.

"For what?" he asked getting madder at himself for letting her control him like this.

"To make you forget." she smiled and reached out to unlock his chains.

"You let me go and I will kill you." he stated.

"Why the warning, William?" she asked purred. "Afraid you wont be able to go through it at the end?"

He stared at her. "I've always been a wanker for women, but for you I'll make an exception."

"Why thank you William, I am touched." she continued to unchain him.

He just waited until she finished.

When his arms were free he roughly grabbed her by the throat and pinned her against the wall.

She laughed lightly.

"I like it when a man is rough." she giggled evily.

She only squeezed harder.

"Too bad you wont be alive for the happy, _pet_." he stated.

She laughed. "You kill me she dies."

Spike fummed.

"Were is she?" he demanded.

"You kill me, she dies." she repeated calmly.

"Luv, if we are going to repeat all of our words tonight this might take a while." He said pressing her harder against the wall.

"It's your choice, darling." she said bringing her hand to caress his smooth check. "She doesn't even love you."

Spike growled.

"She never will" Her finger traced his face. "But me,....I could give you everything, William. Power. Wealth, eternal life, property, respect, and above all love,........love that you've never received. Love that wont leave you, love that will love you no matter what. Me, William, not her." she rubbed her thumb over his lips as they parted. "Tomorrow she might die, and you'll be left all alone,...again." She stopped and looked at his cloudy eyes, she knew she had him where she wanted. "It hurts, doesn't it, to be alone......."

Spike was struggling. She was enthralling, his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. Without noticing he was lowering his mouth to meet hers. 

She smiled as his mouth descended on hers and she kissed him back passionately. His arms went around her and she embraced him in return. Their toungues dueled for what seemed like eternity.

Then something slinthered in his thoughts. It was a dream from so long ago, it hurt him to remember. He was in a field, it was daylight, and he saw her, golden hair blowing in the wind, she turned and smiled at him and said "Come on, my love." _Fight for it, Fight for it._

He instantly pulled back and looked at the fuliginous eyes that had held his emotions moments before. And smiled. "Got it out of your system then?"

Her face changed instantly and she pushed him off, rage was the only thing that could describe her feelings.

"You insignificant creature." she sneared. "How dare you?"

He mock laughed. "Do you think for one second that I am going to forget all that I've fought for?"

She walked up to him in defiance."You think you've fought for her?" she smiled "You haven't even begun."

"What do you want from me?"

"You fool,....I hold this universe in my hand and I've offered you something so grand, I can't even begin to describe,....and you.....you throw it away for the love of a woman who will never love you back,........were she only touches you in dreams or out of pure need. Because you're the only one left, because you're all she's got. Because you're her last resort, her desperate measure."

The words sunk deep and hard through his heart, gashing him with anger and frustration. This woman read right through him like he read right thorugh Buffy. He knew he couldn't falter. For his sake, for Buffy's sake, she might not love him, not now not ever, but there was that voice inside of him screaming _Fight for it, _and that was just what he intended to do.

"She might not love me, not now, not ever, she might despise me once we're out of here, she might try to kill me, she might hurt me. I might be her last resort, she might turn to me out of pure need. I might be her desperate measure. But I am all she's got....... And that's enough for me...... You really don't know me, do you? I am the most stubborn creature on this earth. And as long as I love her, I will be there." He was standing proud by the end of his confession, proud of his strength, proud of his character, proud that he had become the man he never thought possible.

She shook her head in defeat. "Fine, you've made your choice." she walked away. "You will do as I say, or this woman you love so much, will be dead,.....before she knows you love her."

He looked at her wondering if she would really hurt Buffy if she wanted to. He decided that she would and thought it would be better to comply, until he could find out if Buffy was alright, and if he could get her out of there, even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it.

"My servants will come and get you cleaned up and ready for dinner." She turned. "And William, the first attemp you try at your escape, together or alone, I swear on my father's grave I will make her suffer. And that does not necessarily mean killing her."

With that she walked away letting the servants in to take care of Spike.

_Cause inside you're ugly, ugly like me_

_I can see through you, see the real you_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Riley sat on the edge of the bed digesting the information he had just received. Buffy had been sold to that family they had suspected. They had taken her east towards the ocean where the family owned a private beach estate. The coincidence was that over the estate loomed a closed hellmouth that could be re-opened at the right time with the right people.

Angel was brooding, his childe was human, he was a male replica of Buffy, and they were together. He fumed. It was too much, his childe had received what he had wanted for so long. And if he knew those two, they were either eating each other's heads off or they were kissing each other's head off.

He looked at Riley who seemed recklessly worried for his girlfriend.

_Idiot_! Angel thought, he knew Buffy didn't love him, he had seen it in her eyes. But Spike, her reactions towards Spike were different. He knew his childe brought out the spark in Buffy, he brought her to life, with him she was extremes, either infuriated to the point of staking or calmly listening to his wild behavior.

He also knew that Spike could read her like a book, he could read anyone like a book. If he didn't know better those two had some type of fatal attraction that would lead to two inescapable conclusions,.......madly crazy for each other or dead at each other's hands.

But with Spike turning human, his worst fears could come crashing through. She wouldn't kill him, he was human, he was her. He was, somehow, a custom made match, a sick trick that the fates had played on everyone. 

Then, for the first time, he felt sorry for Riley, the poor kid was in for the surprise of his life.

"I have access to enter the palace for the festivities tomorrow night, I'll go in and let them know the plan ahead of time. If everything goes according to schedule, you'll be on your way to California in two days." Lawrence said as the others listened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_All this time that I felt like this won't end, was for you_

_And I taste, but I could never have--it's from you_

The room was pure hallucinatory enchantment. There was a long wooden table in the middle, that sat about thirty people. The table was covered with the most luxurious tablecloth he had ever seen, adorned with precious stones and pure golden threads. The table was set for about ten people leaving the rest of the space for decorations of fresh flowers, fish tanks, and food,.....lots of food. 

He had not realized he was so hungry. It felt really strange to crave meat instead of blood. Almost as if the bloodlust belonged to a past life. A life he saw far away.

He smelled the scent of food and heard his stomach make a funny noise, he cringed, this was ridiculous.

He was led by two male escorts to his place on the table. He had not entered the room for two seconds when people started to pour in. He saw Kamilah and she smiled at him sweetly. 

He frowned. _That bint don't give up! _He thought.

He was guided to take the seat next to her. And he did. He searched the faces of the other inhabitants, most were fat rich demons, some vampires, and some upper class sluts of the demon community, he even recognized some from his Drusilla days.

Most of them eyed him in wonder. William the bloody, Spike, made human and allied with the Slayer. Some of them looked at him with pity, others with hatred, others dismissed him as a fluke of nature.

He was cringing internally. His eyes wondered to find Buffy but she wasn't there, and he prayed to whatever god was up there that she was OK.

He noticed they were not serving food and he was starved. "Where's the food?" he asked Kamilah roughly.

She smilled at his impatience. "We're waiting." she simply said.

"Waiting for what? A blessing?" he retorted.

She eyed him nastily.

"My brother, the Prince, and his...what shall I call her......prize?" she smiled and Spike knew to who she was refering to.

At that moment his hunger vanished and was replaced by fumming rage.

Drums sounded from behind the large indoor trees and the people at the table stood in reverence. He reluctantly followed suit.

The door at the head of the table was flung open and in walked three figures. 

The man in the middle, Spike would assume, was the Prince. His tunics were purple silk and embroided with gold linings. It had precious stones and rare engravings at the linning of it. He entered with a calm, yet royal air around him.

Next to him was another man that the mere look of him, stired some recognition in Spike's blood. He had seen this man before, in some past life. He was arrogant and demanded respect. He was dressed in a spare-no-expence Armani suit. His salt-and-pepper hair was combed and neatly trimmed, he was cleanly shaven and his jaw was rigid and strong. _Stubborn_. Was the only word that came to Spike's mind.

Next to the prince on his right side was a vision that took Spike's breath away. There she was. Dressed in a similiar fashion of Kamilah. Her golden hair was combed until it shined, and it hung loosely around her shoulders. The crown on her head was decorated with a string of green gems that cascaded sligtly to her forehead. The fabric of her clothing was made of crystalized linen that hung tight on her small frame. The deep green complimented her skin, giving her an angelic glow.

Her face had been washed and makeup had been applied, he hadn't seen her all dressed up for a while and he was plainly taken back as he gazed at her beauty.

Her large green eyes darted into the room until they met his.

She was scared, upset, worried. But she found his eyes and all was well. She had not been mistreated, on the contrary she had been treated like a queen. But she was not happy, far from it. She had no idea where Spike was at, or if he was even OK. Sethos guaranteed her that he was, but she didn't trust the princess around him.

When their eyes met they spoke of relief for one another. They were alive, both of them. She was led to the room by the kind hand of Sethos and instantly felt eyes boring into her. She turned and met Kamilah's gaze.

The woman had an evil twinkle to her eye, so distrusting it was hard to see anything else. 

She noticed that Spike was dressed more differently than she was used to seeing him. He was wearing some form fitting khakis with a tight white polo shirt that clung to his chest showing off his planes.

He was staring at her intently with concern in his eyes, she gave him a look of reassurance and he eased off. 

Conversation started in the table as the guest spoke to one another in languages she couldn't understand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kamilah reach over to Spike and whisper something in his ear. He smiled and looked at the flirting princess. 

Buffy's heart slammed against her chest and a wave of jealousy went through her. She tried to concentrate on other things but didn't seem to notice anything but a blond man smiling at an exotic woman.

Spike felt when Kamilah leaned over to him and pressed her lips close to his ear. He frowned internally. She was acting like a seventeen year old who wanted to make an ex-girlfriend jealous.

"Smile and have a good time, darling, for her sake at least." Kamilah whispered in his ear. He looked at her and forced a smile.

"You're so convincing." He murmured.

"Remember, tonight, I am your queen." she smiled sweetly.

"What's wrong, pet, nothin' good on the telly?" he whispered and smiled.

She reached her slim finger, still smiling, and rubbed his lower lip lightly.

He was about to combust. She was beautiful, no doubt, but she was poison, a tempting poison. 

He could feel Buffy's discomfort and his heart went out to her.

He was burning inside, he wanted to shove the slut off him and wrap Buffy in his arms, and violently run out of this place. A safe place was all he wanted.

The dinner passed with more or less distress and the Prince finally excused himself to retire, leading Buffy away from the table and into their quarters.

She turned her head one last time to look at Spike who was pleading to her with his eyes. She wished she could accept that he was doing all this for them, that flirting with Princess Ho' was an act, but it hurt her. He hurt her. It was burning in her heart until she could hardly breathe. 

She walked away adverting his gaze but there are some things the heart cannot escape from. She loved him and the possibility that he did not return her love was devastating.

_All those times that I tried, my intentions full of pride_

_And I waste more time than anyone_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in." he said looking up from his book.

She entered, dressed in white and smelling of Jasmine. She smiled at him.

He stood and neared her like a predator that's on a hunt he knows he's won. Violently he embraced her and descended his lips to hers, kissing her furiously and without compassion.

She kissed him back washing her hands through his graying hair.

He suddenly stoped and looked at her with a questioning glance.

"You reek of him." he said harshly.

"A girl had to do what a girl had to do." She responded.

He let her go and walked to the chair he had been sitting at, taking back his book and reading.

"You're not jealous, are you, darling?" She asked swaying her hips as she walked and stood in front of him.

He paused and looked up to her purple eyes.

"Kamilah, I just hope you know what you are doing." With that he lowered his gaze back to his book.

She took the chair next to him and gently grabbed his hand forcing him to look at her. He knew he loved her, in a twisted way, but he did.

"Roderick, by tomorrow night, they'll be dead." She said gently rubbing her thumb on the back of his palm. "They don't matter."

"Is that what you're telling yourself?" he asked.

"What is that suppose to mean?" she asked raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"When you kiss him, when you flirt with him, I saw you tonight, you couldn't take your arms off him. Are you going to tell me it was to make her jealous?" he said snorting. "You might fool other people, darling, but you'll not fool me. Ever since you found out that he would resist you for the slayer, it has been eating you up inside." He paused and looked at her hardening face. "It's no longer business, is it, princess? It's personnal now. He pushed you away......the only way your fingers touch his flesh is because you dangle her life before his head."

Her eyes had narrowed and she was fumming. "How dare you?" she cried. "I've given you everything, and you sit there analyzing my actions as I were up for study?" she looked at him and stood. "Who gave you the right?"

"You!" he screamed standing in front of her. "The moment you spread your sweet legs for me."

She growled.

"And you know I am right. You hate her, with a passion.......you offered him the throne, didn't you?" he mock laughed. "And he said no,..............poor little spoiled girl, when are you going to learn that you can't buy yourself into people's heart?" His words were harsh and stung at her heart.

At times, in front of him, she felt defenceless, as if he could see right through her. That's why she was with him. He defied her. Just like Spike did.

"I hate you." she hissed. "I want you out."

"Truth hurts doesn't it, baby?" he responded not moving.

She reached under her wrap and before he knew what had happened the sharp wooden stake had penetrated his chest.

Her eyes were cold and she looked at the dust in the floor. 

"To kill this man, you have to love him." She murmured to herself.

With that she walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'm on the outside, I am looking in_

_I can see through you, see your true colors_

Buffy waited until Sethos left her room and her 'servants' finished dressing her for a night's sleep, and she wondered out of her room.

_It's now or never._ She thought to herself.

She grabbed the black shawl that was in her wardrobe and wrapped it around herself to shield her from the night. She had to find Spike. If she waited until tomorrow it might be too late.

She opened her window and started her climb downwards. She moved with grace and quietness, blending with her environment, she reached the bottom of the three story mansion and walked with the shadows to find the room were Spike was being kept.

The corridors were empty, she guessed it was around eleven at night. At this time normally she was in the height of her patrol. She sighted, she had to get out alive. She had to get out, they had to find help and stop armagedon. The usual. 

Hearing some voices in the hall ahead she ducked and hid behind a large plant pot that hosted a large palm tree. She tried to make out the words that were being said, but it was in Arabic. She frowned. _Note to self: take Arabic next semester._

She waited until the voices muffled and stepped out of the shadows to follow were the voices were going. She followed the shadows in front of her further into the palace until they rounded a corner and disappeared into a room. Quietly she approached the open door, peering, making sure she went unnoticed. 

The room looked empty, she cautiously moved in, making sure she was invinsible and noiseless. She moved around the corners and saw nothing, slowly she walked to the middle of the room and was baffeled that the voices that disappeared into thin air. 

Just then something cold and hard hit her and she fell backwards. Falling flat on her back she looked up to find a pair of purple eyes staring at her intently.

"Well, well, well, look what goody I found me." the dancing eyes said.

With that all went blank.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Cause inside you're ugly, ugly like me_

_I can see through you, see to the real you_

He paced the room. He knew he was hyper active as a vampire, but with the humaness came the beating heart, blood pressure, bathroom breaks. It simply complicated things.

He was frustrated. Kamilah hung Buffy's life over him by a thread. When he saw her today he was relieved that she was OK, in a physical way, but she seemed desperate inside. 

He knew she was tired, he was tired of this entire situation. Always getting more complicated. Too much shit.

//KNOCK, KNOCK//

"Come on in." he growled.

He was expecting Kamilah, she said she would be by soon.

"What kept you?" he asked sarcastically.

But the figure didn't enter the light and lingered in the shadows. 

"Well?" he waited.

"Spike?" a man's voice said.

Spike stopped at his tracks and peered into the shadows.

"Lawrence?" he asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was chained and she felt it. They were not the tugging kind, but she felt the cold metal against her skin. And she felt naked.

Her eyes flew open. She was in her room, but she was.......she gasped.

_Oh my God!_ She thought.

She was laying on the same pillow she was when she had first woken up that morning, but this time someone had changed her wardrobe. She looked like Princess Leah, in a gold bikini. It was metal too. She laughed out loud inspite of herself.

_In whose sex fantasy did I fall in?_ She thought ironically.

Her chains were long and she could easily move around the room, she noted.

"Suits you,I think." Kamilah said coming behind her. 

Buffy instantly reacted and flung herself at her, trying to hit her, but the princess stepped back and Buffy was restrained by the metal chains. She growled.

"Bitch!" she hissed. 

"Aren't you the short tempered one?" She was walking around Buffy, inspecting her.

"You're not bad little one, but you must understand I can't have you running around messing thing up, when tomorrow is such a big day for me." She said walking closer to Buffy.

Buffy simply sneered at her. This situation was getting out of control.

"What do you want with me?" Buffy fizzed.

Kamilah took her small face in her hand and forced Buffy to look at her. "Release him."

Buffy could not help but laugh at the irony.

"Release him?" she laughed. "What do you think, that I have him by a ball and chain? You can't control what people feel. It just is. And you're a sad demented case if you think you can manipulate the heart."

Kamilah back handed her hard across her jaw.

"You'll do good to watch your words around me." Kamilah said "I can kill you in a second."

Buffy composed herself, her jaw was throbing. The demoness was stronger than she was and she knew it.

She looked up and met her eyes. "And I look foward to shoving those words down your throat." She responded after she could move her jaw.

Kamilah hit her again and Buffy blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_All the times that I've cried, all this wasting--it's all inside_

_And I feel all this pain, stuffed it down--it's back again_

"Tell the poof I say thanks." Spike told Lawrence before he stepped out of his room. 

"You tell him when you see him." Lawrence told him, trying to give the man hope.

"Just do that, 'lright? Just in case." Spike said looking down.

Lawrence understood that he had accepted the complications of what tomorrow might bring, he was a realist.

Lawrence extended his hand and Spike took it, gripping and sealing the friendship.

"Be gone, then." Spike said, and with that the man nodded and slipped out of his room.

Spike took a seat at the edge of the bed and sighted.

_Long day in hell_. He thought to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And I lie here in bed all alone--I can't mend_

_And I fear tomorrow will be okay_

She felt a damp cloth patting her aching jaw ever so gently. She was still groagy. 

"Spike?" she whispered.

"No, not him." a kind voice said.

She focused her eyesight to find a pair of black eyes looking at her, they were filled with concern and humility.

"Sethos?" she clarrified.

"Yes, Buffy, it's me." he said dabing the cloth on her swollen jaw again. She winced. "Sorry."

"It's ok, I'll heal in a couple of hours.....perks of being a Slayer, I guess." she said proping her elbows from her laying position in bed.

Then she remembered she was chained a'la Princess Leah. She looked down her body and let out a frustrated groan.

"I'm sorry, my sister feels you would escape." he said refering to her condition.

Buffy paused and looked at the kind young man in front of her.

"You're so different from her, why?" she inquired sitting up completely.

He looked down and let out a sigh. "Don't know,..........this,......what she's doing is not what our father wanted." he took a deep breath. "I wish I could do something, but she's so much stronger...."

Buffy shook her head, her patience running low with the weakling. "NO!!" she said loudly, "Why do you tell yourself that?" 

Sethos was taken back by her tone. "Be..because it's tr-true" he stammered.

"According to whom? Her?" She let out a small laugh. "She's not all up there." she gently caught his hand. "Even you can see she'll destroy good to fullfil her purpose. What she's doing tomorrow, do you think it's right?"

Sethos thought for a moment playing with his fingers. "No." he said soberly.

"Why not stop her?" she persisted.

Sethos stood from the bed and began pacing the room. "You don't understand,...she's strong,..and smart, very smart, and..."

"Hey! None of that talk!" she said standing as far as her chains would let her. "What would your father had said?"

He paused and looked at her chewing on his bottom lips pensively. "Take charge, Sethos......he would have said Take charge, Sethos." he said.

Buffy nodded. "Take charge then."

A minute passed, he was gathering strength.

"When I faced my greatest opponent, he taunted me...I was alone,...It was all up to me...,and just when I thought I had no hope left I found....me, me is all I had, and me was enough." She placed her hand on his chest. "Take charge, Prince Sethos, claim your rightful throne, rule....rule like your father would have wanted." she said almost in a hard whisper.

When his eyes met hers again there was a fire in them she had never seen before.

"Tomorrow....leave Kamiliah to me." he said giving her an appreciative nod.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He felt her come to his room, without turning around he knew it was her. The evil force around her consumed him and he wanted to throw her out his window.

"Pensive, William?" she asked approaching him.

He didn't move.

"Your girl, she has quite a character." she said standing in front of a sitting Spike.

He looked up at her.

"I hope she told you good 'n proper." he said.

She smiled. "Considering her abilities were limited, she did pretty well of defending herself while she was all chained up."

Spike stood in outrage. The thought of Buffy chained up was unbearable. "What have you done to her?" he cried.

Kamilah laughed at his outburst.

"Done to her?" she walked pass him "Don't you mean what she did to herself?"

Spike ignored her taunts. 

"William, I had no choice, she was trying to escape,...she could have avoided the entire situation."

"You don't have to chain her up." he stated trying to control his anger.

"What do you suggest that I do? Slap her hand and tell her to behave?" she smiled. "The Slayer doesn't play that game."

"When she gets through with you, they'll be collecting you with a sponge." he said harshly. "I should know, seen 'her do it before."

"Doubtful, very doubtful." she walked close to her.

"I want to see her." he said walking close to the demon.

She looked at him surprised. "Really?"

"I am through playing your game, I wanna see her." he said.

"No."

"You're gonna let me see her, and you're gonna let me see her tonight." he said "Because if you don't,.......not even I will play your game."

She looked up to his eyes. They were stone cold with anger and menace. 

"If you don't let me see her, Kamilah, I will make sure I go through hell and back to prevent the portal from opening." he said in a low harsh whisper.

She swallowed. "I'll take you to her, but only because you've been such fun." she got closer. "And besides...." she caressed his cheek "You need to say your goodbyes."

Spike stiffened under her touch. But nodded. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Hold on to love that's what I do,, now that I've found you._

_And from above everything's stinking, they're not around you_

_And in the night, I could be helpless,_

_I could be lonely, sleeping without you._

_And in the day, everything's complex_

_There's nothing simple, when I'm not around you._

She was pacing the room when she heard to door unlock.

_What now?_ She thought angrily. She couldn't deal with another visit from Princess Bitch.

"Buffy?" 

Her heart leaped. "Spike?" she almost cried out. He stepped into the dim light. But she hid herself in the shadows, she didn't want him to see her all chained up.

"Pet, come out here, I don't have long." He said looking in the darkness.

"No Spike, go away." she said trying to compose her pride.

"Luv, its ok, I know what she did to you." he said pleading with her.

She felt humiliated, feeling like a sacrificial piece of meat was making her reach her boiling point. The images of Kamiliah and Spike flirting throughout dinner were engraved in her head and it only made her madder.

"Go away, Spike." she said harshly.

"Pet, please listen to me, I...I had to, I had to Buffy." he swallowed "She's hanging your life over my head like a piece of bait."

Buffy didn't know what to believe. He was here, at least, and she wanted nothing else than to run into his arms. She moved and her chains made a rattling noise.

Tears swelled up in her eyes.

"Please....Spike." she begged him to leave.

"Buffy." He said stirnly. "Come out here, pet, I just want to talk."

She shook her head. "We can talk like this." 

"Slayer, you 'r pissin' me off, get your ass out here I ain't got much time!" he cried.

Buffy mustered all her strength and stepped into the light, revealing her half nude self and her chained condition.

Spike swallowed. Part of him cringed with the sight of her like that, part of him couldn't appreciate the sight more, she looked beautiful.

"Well say something." she said looking down embarrased. 

"How are you feeling?" Was all he could think of.

Her head shot up angrily. "How am I feeling?" she cried. "That's what you can ask? I am chained, wearing movie props! How do you think I feel?"

He smiled at her wit. He walked closer to her. "You look beautiful."

Buffy blushed. "Yeah, every man's fantasy." She said sarcastically.

He nodded and thought they should get down to business. "Angel's in town."

Her head shot up, her eyes were wide with relief and shock. "Here, where, when?" she asked rapidly.

"I told you I didn't have much time." he said. "I want you to listen to me, and for once Summers don't question my motives or my decisions, or my actions. Can you do that for once?"

He looked straight into her eyes..

She nodded, all of a sudden, finding hope in a situation she thought had become helpless.

"Tomorrow during the celebration, you will be taken to the throne where your chains will be tied. I will be left to roam on my own, Lawrence will.."

"Lawrence?" she cut him off.

He nodded. "Lawrence will get the keys to your chains and give them to me, I will unchain you and you, by yourself, will sneak out to the gardens were Angel will be waiting with a van. You go with him. You don't stop and fight, you don't look back, you don't wait for me."

She was shaking her head.

"I am not leaving with.."

"I have to stay." He said stirnly.

Her eyes went wide. "Oh I see..." she whispered. "Because of her, you want to stay because of her."

He shook his head. "Yes, because of her but not in that way, if you want to get out, I have to distract her, it's your only chance."

Her bottom lip trembeled. "You don't have to lie to me, Spike." her voice quivered. "I understand if you want to stay here, I mean she is beautiful and rich and a princess..."

"Buffy, listen to me.."

"And she'll probably give you all you've ever wanted..."

"Listen, would you listen, its not like that..."

Her voice was shaking with emotion and she hated herself for falling for this trap. "I understand...."

He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Buffy, I love you."

"If I don't see you again......." she looked up to his eyes. "Y-yo-you what?"

"I love you." He repeated, knowing this was probably the worst place to say it.

"You love me?" her voice was a whisper. "Why? I am...short...and problematic...and unexperienced....and you hate me.....and I hate you." She didn't believe it herself.

He smiled at her naiveness.

"I love you, Slayer." He got closer. "I've always loved you, since the moment I first saw you." he breathed hard bringing his hand to touch her face. "Such purity,...such danger...you're intoxicating."

Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and she had to remind herself to breathe. It was all too much, somehow in the mist of this entire situation they had managed to fall in love, or at least accept their feelings towards one another.

She stared at his face and not a word could come out of her mouth, it was completely dry.

His hopes sagged, he knew she probably didn't feel the same, but he had to tell her before he never had a chance to.

"Tomorrow at twelve fifteen, in the garden, you be there, if I am not there......you go without me."

She was shaking her head in defyment. "I am NOT leaving without you."

_But I'll miss you when you're gone, that is what I do. Hey,baby!_

_And it's going to carry on, that is what I do. Hey, baby!_

He grasped her arms tighter. "Slayer, listen to me, you go.....you get out of here.....you survive.....you make it home."

Her tears were pouring on her cheeks, and uncontrollable sobs errupted her body, he was sacrificing his life for her, for her to get out. "We stick together!" she cried. "I dont leave you, you don't leave me......" she was crying full force and he wrapped her in an embrace.

She sobbed holding tight to him as if he might disappear. 

He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her scent. "Buffy listen, pet, I've lived........" 

She cried harder clutching on to him.

He continued. "I've plagued this earth for hundreds of years, and if my time comes, its comes." he swallowed trying to accept it himself. "Yours.....yours has not yet come, you'll live." he grasped her face in his hands. "You'll live some more,...and you'll survive."

He bent down and kissed her forehead.

She was sobbing wildly still in denial of what had to be done. "Spike, I am not leaving...." she shook her head.

He shook her roughly. "Don't be foolish!" he cried.

"Fuck you!!" she cried through tears. "I am not leaving you!"

He hugged her shaking body again.

"Not leaving you...not leaving you..." she kept repeating with her head burried in his chest..

"Please Buffy, if not for you do it for me." he said holding her so he could see her face. "I made you a promise once, remember?"

She nodded weakly. Remembering his promise to her the day before his operation.

"Please make me this promise, be strong, baby, please." He pleaded with her.

She looked in his eyes fearing it would be the last time he would hold her. She brought her hand to his face and nodded painfully.

She knew what had to be done. They couldn't fight their way out, but she wasn't leaving without him. She was determined.

He smiled sadly at her reluctant acceptance.

"Good....now pet, for old times sakes..." He looked into her eyes. "Lie to me, and tell me you love me."

Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks as she shook her head meaning 'no'. Her bottom lip quivered.

His heart sank.

"No......" she reached for his scared eyebrow and stroke it, her eyes never leaving his. "I'm gonna lie to you and tell you I don't."

His heart soared. And he captured her mouth in a single stroke. Holding her small body against his lean one. They embrace out of pure desperation. Both knowing what tomorrow might bring and relishing the moment that heaven had allowed them.

_Hold onto my hands, I feel I'm sinking, sinking without you._

_And to my mind, everything's stinking, stinking with out._

She inhaled his scent that was so purely Spike, she would never forget it. His heart was pounding wildly against hers and while their tongues battled so did their choices. 

She couldn't bear to live without him, he was letting her go.

He knew that for the first time in his unlife, he was acting out of pure unselfish reason. It pained him to leave her alone, but she'll live, live with memories, and that was enough for him.

The door opened interrupting them.

"Time's up." the guard said to them.

They looked at each other and she wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"You promised..." he said looking into her eyes. "This all that heaven allows." he quoted whispering it to her ear and kissing her lips one last time.

"I'll always love you." was all she could say before the guards ripped him away from her arms, leaving her cold and alone.

She saw his eyes as he left, this was hurting him as much as it was her. She stood in the middle of the room with her arms still opened, feeling his touch still hot on her body.

She let out a sob and crumbled to the ground curling herself in a fetal position. Her tears came like a flood, she couldn't control them, neither did she want to. 

She let them come, for the first time in her life feeling completely loved, and completely alone.

_And in the night, I could be helpless_

_I could be lonely, sleeping without you._

_And in the day, everything's complex,_

_There nothing simple, when I am not around you._

_But I'll miss you when you're gone, that is what I do. Hey, baby!_

_And it's going to carry on, that is what I do. Hey, baby!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	9. Long Ages Past

Long Ages Past-

**Long Ages Past**- part 8 of "All that Heaven Allows Series."

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics _I'd do anything for love_ by MeatLoaf. Poems: _Long Ages Past _by Wilfred Owen (as the title), and_ My Soul_ by Stevie Smith.

-Rated:R (Language, Violence, Adult Situations)

-Summary: Eight part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Part 8/10.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thou wert a mad slave in a Persian Palace,

And the King loved thee for thy furious beauty,

And all men heard thy ravings with a smile

Because thy face was fairer than a flower.

Thou art the face reflected in a mirror

Of wild desire, of pain, of bitter pleasure.

The witches shout thy name beneath the moon,

The fires of Hell have held thee in their fangs."

From_ Long Ages Past_ by Wilfred Owen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And I would do anything for love, _

_I'd run right into hell and back, _

_I would do anything for love, _

_I'll never lie to you and that's a fact._

"Why the sad face, brother?" Kamilah asked coming behind Sethos and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Roderick has gone missing." he stated with a stale face. 

She smiled and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"He'll turn up." she said lightly.

He turned around to face her.

"He did turn up,....in dust particles." he didn't flinch.

Her eyes grew wide. "No! Oh by the gods! Are you sure?" she gave her best performance of penance.

His eyes narrowed. "Don't play with me, my sister." he said hard.

She made her best innocent face "Sethos, my brother, you would not think that I would....."

He glidded his hand up her bare arm and kissed her shoulder slowly. "Would you?" he murmured against her skin.

She stiffened. She felt threatened, something she had never felt coming from her brother.

"How can you say that?" she hissed not moving.

He looked at her and smiled.

"You know how I felt about him." she said not flinching.

"Like you feel for the rest of humanity.....how is it that you say sometimes....'a girls gotta do what a girls got to do'...." he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes grew wide with horror and she pushed him off her. Looking at him she smacked him hard across his face. "A curse on you." she hissed.

He grabbed her hand and roughly pressed her against his body. "You feel you're running the show, darling, like you have everyone buzzing around you like flies. Flies you can so easily swat down." he held her tighter and she let out a whimper."He was no mere vampire, Kamilah, he was a master....how am I going to explain what you've done out of temperance, huh? I am tired of cleaning up after your messes."

He slid his other hand and caressed her cheek. "You pull another one like that, my sister.....and I'll make sure you see the real me." he finished almost in a whisper.

Her eyes were wide as saucers, her blood was trashing within her body.

"Now, run along, and have fun with the preparations." he said letting her go and walking out of the room leaving her stunned and furious.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(Outside of Habu Palace, 10:00pm)_

"I still don't see why we can't just barge in there, get them and come out!" Cordilia cried as they dismounted the white van with blacked-out windows Angel had rented.

"Because if we do that none of us will survive." Angel responded annoyed yet used to her simple reasoning.

Riley came up behind them with binoculars. "Are you still sure we can trust that guy Lawrence? We don't even know him." he pointed out.

Angel shrugged. "If Spike and Buffy trusted him, then so am I." he brought down the bag of weapons. "My goal is to get them both out of there alive."

"You know you're risking it?" Riley said looking at him. "You heard what Lawrence said this morning, Spike accepts that he might not make it. The place is crawling with hostiles."

"Will you stop calling us that?" Angel snorted.

"Listen all I care is about getting Buffy out of there alive, I don't care if I have to sacrifice some murdering, no good ex-vampire, to do it." Riley said looking at the house. 

He didn't see Angel's hand come at him in vampiric speed and back hand him in the jaw. Cordilia gasped as the boy hit the pavement.

"He's MY childe and he is no longer a vampire, if the powers gave him another chance then I'll make sure he lives to enjoy it."

Riley was clutching his jaw and had no intention of provoking the vampire any further. His strength was unlike anything he had ever felt. 

"In two hours I'll meet them in the location, grab Buffy, bring her back here, whether she likes it or not. Then I'll go in after Spike. If I don't come out you guys leave without us, we'll make it out.......we always do." he looked at Cordilia's concerned expression. "Is that clear?" 

Cordilia looked at him with pain in her eyes. "You want us to leave you?" she said carefully, she knew Angel was already aggravated as it was.

"If it comes down to you guys getting out of here alive, then yes. Don't worry about me and Spike, I'll make sure he makes it." he stuffed stakes in different places of his body. He turned and looked at Riley. "Buffy might put some resistance in leaving us behind...we'll she'll definitely put resistance, so here." Angel grabbed out of the bag a small white bottle and a handkerchief and handed it to Riley.

"Chloroform?" Riley asked taking the bottle.

"You're gonna need it." Cordilia said from where she was standing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_But I'll never forget the way you feel right now _

_Oh no - no way - I would do anything for love, _

_But I wont do that, I wont do that, anything for love, _

_I would do anything for love, I would do anything for love, _

_But I won't do that, I wont do that._

She had it all calculated in her mind. After an entire night of crying her eyes out she had come to a conclusion. She loved Spike too much to just let him walk out of her life. And to make it worst he was sacrificing his life, his newly found life, for her. For the first time in her life she had a man who she loved completely and willingly and was not risking him turning into a moster or a campus Casanova. 

For Christ sakes he was made for her! The powers had created her mate, custom made. That is not something that happens everyday. 

So her plan was simple, once Spike shoved her off the estate grounds, she was going to the van, where she knew Angel would have all sort of weapons, and she was going to stack up. Even if she had to knock Angel unconscious, she was going back in and getting Spike out. They either both lived or they both died, she was not going to go through another heartbreak because she had to loose the man she loved to save the world.

Her thoughts were racing as she was being taken to the main chamber were she could already hear the start of the festivities. She braced herself, with this little number they had placed her in, she was lucky if she got away with a few rubs._ YUK! _

The room was gorgeously decorated, sparing no expense. The people in this place were ravishly rich, powerful and influential. And they were all demons in one way or another. 

Golden shimmers was the only way to describe the lit room. It cascaded in gold and golden lights with flickers of crimson, magenta, and tourquoise. People and demons alike were dancing eating from the ample variety of food, laughing and talking amongst themselves. 

When she entered the room there was a swift and recognizable silence as the migty slayer was brought in chains: helpless against its captors. Some looked at her in wonder, other in hate, other had unreadable faces, others gave thier pitiful sorrow to the fallen warrior of the light.

Buffy sighted as they chained her to the wall._ It was going to be a long night._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aren't you the happy critter tonight." Spike commented to Kamilah as they walked to the main room. He was over the top annoyed with her and her advances on him. 

Talk about someone who does not understand the meaning of the word_ NO._

All his thoughts were with Buffy. He was bitter in the most part. He had been given the chance to spend the rest of their lives together and he had to sacrifice it the moment hers was placed in danger.

God! He was such a pounce! A wipped lap dog like his sire.

All he could hope was that they would take care of her. He knew Buffy, she would probably pull herself into a deep depression mourning over him and what not, but in the end, he knew she was stronger than what she knew and she would be just fine. 

He just hoped it wasn't in the arms of the whelp or captain' peanut.

Kamilah was chatting up a storm by herself and he ignored her as usual, her tactics were getting old and boring, she was no Slayer, and the more he looked at her the least he liked her.

"Stay close by tonight, many unexplainable things can happen." She commented as they neared the entrance of the grand parlor.

"Like you dying? That would be a shame." He said sarcastically through clentched teeth.

She looked at him and smiled knowingly. "And don't try to be a hero, it will only get you killed."

He didn't respond to her taunter, instead he brased himself for the view of Buffy chained to a wall in a gold bikini. 

He sighted. It was going to be long night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Some days it dont come easy,_

_Some days it dont come hard_

_Some days it dont come at all,_

_And these are the days that never end._

_(Demon Party, 11:45 PM- Half an Hour to Buffy's Escape)_

Spike had his eye on Buffy the entire night, a few times they had caught each other's gaze and held it as long as it was allowed. He had to hold himself in place and not run and rip the chains off the wall and carry her out of there. 

She was being exhibitioned, men and women alike came to study the infamous Slayer, she just ignored them or looked straight ahead, searching for Spike. His gaze gave her comfort. And that was all she needed at that moment.

Spike saw Lawrence from the corner of his eye and knew that was his cue. He quietly and silently made his way to the table with the gold elephant were he was supposed to wait for Lawrence to drop the key.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Demon Party, 12:00 AM- Fifteen minutes to Buffy's escape)

"Buffy?"

She turned on her chains and faced Sethos.

"The time is coming, you have to get out of here." He said

"Don't worry about me, take care of Kamilah. Keep her distracted from me." she said her eyes searching the room for Spike, since he had disappeared.

He grabbed her arms gently and looked at her. "Take care of yourself, Slayer." he said and squeezed her quickly. "And Thank you."

"You be a good Prince." she said gave him a small smile.

With that he turned around and left to find the demoness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(The gardens, 12:05 AM- Ten Minutes to Buffy's escape.)

Angel crept through the shadows avoiding any guards. With the route that Lawrence had sketched for him he knew the exact position of the guards and the places he wouldn't be noticed. 

He hid behind a large boulder that was meant for art decoration, he was hardly amused or impressed by it. He checked his watch one more time and sighted.

_Show Time. _He thought.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"In the flame of the flickering fire

The sins of my soul are few

And the thoughts in my head are the thoughts of a bed

With a solitary view.

But the eye of eternal consciousness

Must blink as a bat blinks bright

Or ever the thoughts in my head be stilled

On the brink of eternal night."

From _My Soul_ by Stevie Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Some nights you breath fire,_

_Some nights your carved in ice,_

_Some nights your like nothing I've ever seen before, _

_Or will again._

(Demon Party, 12:10 AM- Five minutes to Buffy's escape)

He strolled casually to her, holding tight the metal object pressing on his the palm of his hand. From the corner of his eyes he saw Lawrence distracting the guards by telling them there was some commotion in one of the back rooms.

The idiots followed him, leaving Buffy all alone.

He caught her eyes. He didn't say a word.

"Spike, please..." she whispered begging him to come with her. "We can take our chances."

He was silent, afraid that he might not go through the plan, but he had to get her out of there.

"Spike talk to me, please." 

He was unchaining her legs. Unable to control himself at the touch and sight of her tanned, lean, shapped legs he ran his hand up her leg to at least feel its silky texture.

She gasped. Just his mere touch was driving her wild.

"Spike...." she almost hissed.

Then his head bend down and kissed her knee and he looked up at her, were she was staring at him with glossy eyes.

He stood and unchained her arms.

She was breathing hard.

Once both her arms were unchained he looked at her.

"It's time." He said. And linked their hands together. 

She felt tears prickling in her eyes as she stared at him while he walked her to the back door that let out to the gardens. He felt her eyes on him and squeezed her hand gently letting her know that all was well when he was crying out inside for them to run away, to be selfish, to risk it all.

"Leaving early?" Kamilah said stepping up right before them. Spike instantly stood infront of Buffy, shielding her form Kamilah. "But darling, the festivities have yet to start." She fake pouted.

Buffy was tired of Spike thinking she was defenceless and have to be covered from the world for it might hurt her. She was the Slayer for crying out loud, this was her game no matter what some profecy said, this was her battle, like so many before her.

Just as she pulled herself out off Spike's hand, three large guards came up behind the princess.

"This just keep getting interesting." Spike muttered.

"You could have kept them simple, William." She retorted as the guards behind her took out their weapons and regarded the likely escape.

"You had to complicate it." Buffy said looking Kamilah over with disgust.

"Buffy.." Spike warned taking in the amount of the guards and her chance for an escape.

"No, my love." Buffy said not moving her eyes form Kamilah's face. "The bitch is mine." She hissed.

Without warning Buffy hit the princess hard on the face with all her built up Slayer strength and her built up anger for this woman. Kamilah flew ten feet back landing on her ass.

The guards launched at her but Spike got in the way hitting two of them as he glanced at the pissed off Slayer. "What the hell are you doing?" He screamed at her.

"Keeping it interesting." She said smiling as she walked back to the shocked woman and kicked her on the side.

Then all her hell broke loose as Spike bested his chances with the four remaining guards and Kamilah and Buffy fought mercilessly with each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel was about to get worried, when he panicked, as he saw from the garden in through the glass windows; Buffy in a tiny bikini, fighting a woman who seemed pretty strong and four guards getting the best of Spike. 

Without a second thought he rushed in, large knife in hand, ready to kill whomsoever threatened either of them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guard was strong and he was getting tired. Four at the same time was not his best performance, plus he was human now and the demon had him by his throat cutting off his air supply.

He felt strange and vulnerable as the grip tightened and he was choking.

Without warning the hands that were on him were violently pulled off, as Spike looked up he saw his Sire, game face out, ripping the demon's throat out.

Spike was gasping for air and looked frantically for Buffy who was giving and taking blows from and to Kamilah.

He looked at Angel. "Peaches?!! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled as he punched one of the remaining guards. Angel tossed him a sword to finish the job off and smiled at him.

"Didn't think I'll let you have all the fun, did ya?"

"Bloody hell!" Spike cried as it was impossible to argue with his hard-headed sire.

Buffy saw when Angel came in and saved Spike and she gave out a sight of relief. But that momentary action caused Kamilah to take the upper hand in the fight and grabbed Buffy by her braided hair and yanking her to the floor screaming as she brought out a small knife and aimed it at her throat.

Buffy knew this was the end for her. The knife was descending at superhuman speed and she braced herself for her death. She involuntariy closed her eyes and said a little prayer for her family and reminded Spike and Angel that she loved them, sending her strength to her two warriors that were to stop Armageddon.

But her thoughts kept coming and she wondered if all slit throats were this painless, becasue she literally felt nothing.

After a few more moments she opened them to find Sethos pulling his sister off the the fallen Slayer and hitting her against the wall as she slumped to the floor.

He glanced at Buffy. "GO!" He yelled at her.

She immediately scrambled to her feeth and ran to the others.

Angel killed his last guard and the demon's body slumped to the floor. He glanced up at his childe, Spike was kicking a final blow on an debilitated demon and then slit the creature's throat with the knife his sire had given him.

"Angel!" Buffy scried coming up behind him. The dark haired vampire immedietly turned and embrace the half naked, bruised Buffy.

"We feared you dead." He whispered in her hair.

"Oh Angel!" she cried. "We nearly did die." She said pulling back and looking at his dark features. This was the face of the man she had loved so deeply once he had been her entire life. And though love like that does not fade, the fates had taught her to live on and survive. She would always love him no matter what, no one forgets their first love.

She glanced at Spike who was now walking towards the embraced couple and before she had time to run to him, around the corner a dozen guards came running.

Spike shot a look at Angel and the vampire understood.

"Get her out." Spike told him.

"What do you mean 'get her out'?" She said to him not believing that he was not going to fight for them after all this. 

Without warning Angel grabbed Buffy's tiny body and flung her over his shoulder holding her in a vmapiric grasp. 

"SPIKE!" She cried as she saw her love looking at her with pained eyes.

"You promised, Buffy." he said camly looking out for the rapidly approaching guards.

She was furious. "No!" she cried in defeat. "Angel put me down!"

Angel ignored his former love and turned to give Spike a shampoo-sized bottle filled with gasoline and a lighter.

"Have fun." the elder said.

Spike smiled. "Always."

Angel looked at his childe on last time and ran out with a very mad and crying Slayer over his shoulder.

Spike watched painfully as the small blonde cried out for him and fought her former love with all her remaining strength.

Then he turned to face the coming guards.

A beaten Kamilah hit her brother on his head, knocking him unconscious. She looked at the escaping Slayer and the tall strange man. "Get the Slayer!" she cried to her guards.

Spike opened the bottle and flipped the lighter and smiled at the B-B-Q to be guards. "Daddy's got a sweet tooth tonight!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Maybe Im crazy, But it's crazy and it's true,_

_I know you can save me, No one else can save me now but you._

Buffy watched through teary eyes as her love disappered, her heart breaking. 

"Angel we have to......"

He cut her off. "In the van, I have supplies."

She stoped struggling with him out of surprise. 

"You think I'm gonna let Spike have all the fun?" he asked trying not to let her know his real plan. Riley was waiting with the chloroform in the van. He put her donw and looked at her tear streaked face. He knew at that moment those were tears of love, the same tears he had seen before she sent him to hell. If it cost him his unlife he was gonna get her back her warrior.

She smiled at him and hugged him again.

"Thank you." she said.

His heart broke at what he had to do to her. Again, he would hurt her for her own good.

"C'mon lets go, we don't have much time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"Where are they? It has been almost half an hour!" Cordilia exclaimed.

"Shh" Riley said hidding behind the van. "They're coming."

The two forms approached the van and Riley quickly drenched the handkerchief with the liquid, hidding it in his back pocket.

"Cordy?" Angel exclaimed as they approached the van.

Cordilia jumped out of her seat in the van and went to greet them.

"Cordy!" Buffy cried as she hugged her conventional friend, but any familiar face was better than none.

"Oh good, you're alright!" Cordilia exclaimed as she hugged her back.

Buffy pulled away fast. "We have to get Spike back, we'll need weapons..." she slured when she saw Riley walk out of the shadows.

"Buffy." he said looking at her with loving eyes. "Baby, I was so worried."

Her heart sank, Riley had completely left her mind. How was she going to explain that her heart no longer belonged to him, if it ever did.

"Riley." She said as she went to hug him.

He gripped her so hard she was lost in his gigantic body. 

"I missed you too." she lied.

"C'mon lets get out of here." he said pulling her to the van.

"No! Spike! We have to go after him." she said with wide eyes, walking past him to get the weapons in the van.

Angel looked at Riley and nodded.

Cordilia pressed her sweaty palms together as she watched Riley come up behind Buffy.

"Are you sure, Buffy?" Riley said getting closer behind her with the handkerchief in his hand.

She nodded without looking at him "I can't leave him." Taking out stakes, knives, and anything else that spelled_ kill._

She studied a stake in her hand when she felt Riley's hand come up with the handkerchief in it. 

"Sorry Buffy, but I can't let you." he said as he pressed the object to her face.

By the time she tried to struggle her eyes were getting droppy.

_I have to save Spike...he's going to die........._

The three watched as Buffy's body went limp on top of Riley.

Angel nodded. Then turned to look behind him and saw half a dozen guards searching for the misisng couple.

"Get out of here, NOW!" He hissed.

"Wait!" Cordy said going after him, without warning she grabbed his neck and planted a kiss on his lips, slipping her tongue past his shocked lips. His eyes went wide.

She backed away, breathing hard. "Take care." she said and pushed him off before he could respond.

_As long as the planets are turning,_

_As long as the stars are burning,_

_As long as your dreams are coming true - You better believe it! _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kamilah saw Spike's intentions and ran for her brother's limp body. She pulled him off the floor and dragged him to the ceremonial room were she had prepared for the chanting.

She placed Sethos on the large expensive chair that was sitting at the far corner of the room, she didn't need his blood yet.

Taking off her excess clothing she stood before the sacred circle and began her chant.

"Torents of darkness, hear my prayer, listen to a humble servant. Torents of darkness, come and rule, take your rightful place in the realm. Bring the triumvirate, let it cease the forces of light and welcome the forces of misfortune for those who praise not your name. Torents of darkness, hear my prayer, listen to a humble servant." With the last words of the encantation Kamilah reached for the hidden knife in her tunic and slashed her wrist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Spike toarched the guards he drenched the escape doors and part of the walls of the estate.

He saw one of the torches that was perched on the far wall and walked to it, spreading the angry fire thoughout the palace.

The reaction was instantaneous. After the guards began screaming in pain the guest began to scream and run. The fire began to spread to the walls and the nearby plants. Spike ran the opposite direction. He had to find Kamiliah, and get rid of the bitch before she did some serious damage.

Sethos had prepared his personnal guards for the confrontation. Their explicit instructions were to apprehend the princess and all her followers. 

When Spike lit the guards, the fire started spreding to the roof and around the building. The guards took that as the signal and they attacked Kamilah's men.

In a matter of half a minute the entire party was caos.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley pushed the gas peddal as far as he could and the wheels of the van screeched against the crumbling road. Narrowly missing the screaming and charging guards.

Cordilia watched in horror and sorrow as the palace went up in flames before her eyes. She watched every exit with the binoculars, but they never came out. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Riley sighted. He too knew the consequences and the price that had been paid for Buffy's escape.

Cordilia looked at Buffy's peacefully sleeping body on her lap. Sadness filled her. She hoped against all might that she might survive this, _that I will survive this. _She thought sadly.

"I'm sorry,Cordilia." Riley said from the driver's seat as he drove in silence.

"They knew the consequences." Cordilia said with a shaky voice.

"I know." Riley said thinking of how his girlfriend was going to react to this. He knew she loved Angel, and Spike...well she had never said it, but he had seen it in her eyes tonight. She loved both vampires or ex-vampire and she was going to be a mess when she found out.

"They are the true heroes." Cordilia said running her hands through Buffy's hair. 

Riley nodded, unable to disagree.

They drove in silence the rest of the way, as the flames burned the night sky behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His head was pounding in pain as he slowly opened his eyes to find the room uncharacteristically cold. He shuddered then came to his seses. _Kamilah!_ He thought as he sat up quickly searching for his evil twin.

He saw her as she slashed her wrist and let the blood pour out freely to the sacret gate.

"NO!" he ran to get her knife. "Kamilah, please, this is insane."

Kamilah turned to look at her charging brother.

He almost stumbeled when he saw her eyes. The usually enchanting purple orbs were illuminated to a brilliant red. Demonic in all her glory.

"Foolish brother of mine. I can feel it. I can feel the power cursing through my veins...." she laughed in ludicracy. "It's intoxicating!" She walked up to the stunned Prince. "Share this power with me brother! Together we'll be unstoppable. We'll rule this earth and all its inhabitants."

Her eyes wild with possesion frightened him and he pressed his lips flat with fright. 

"Don't let it intimidate you, Sethos! We'll be gods! We'll be immortal! We can have anything..... How can you throw such a unique birthright away?"

Sethos looked at her with horror. The demon in her had taken complete control over her and the thing standing before him was no longer his sister, but an alien creature. He shook his head. "You're not my sister. My sister would have honored our father's whishes. My sister would have a good heart. My sister's dead. You're a corpse..."

She grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the nearest wall.

"Wrong answer, my Prince" her eyes bore right through him. All her power was concentrated on a point of focus. "Pitty that I have to kill you, but then again.....without your blood, the portal can't be opened."

She brought her knife to his throat. "Pleasant dreams, _brother_."

Sethos braced himself for the coming pain of his death. He closed his eyes and waited for it.

It never came, her grip gave out and he felt her crumble to the floor.

He slightly opened his eyes, afraid that this might be a game she was playing. But at his feet was her crumbled body, her throat had been slashed and blood was pouring freely unto the floor from the wound.

He raised his head to look at her killer. 

A platinum blonde head looked down at the body. In his right hand was a large knife, that he recognized as the one the palace guards used. 

"Never liked the bint', wasn't all there." he said looking up at the frightened Prince.

Sethos stared at him in shock, this man had saved his life.

"You alrigh' your highness?" he asked.

Sethos simply nodded, still looking in amazement at the peroxide blonde.

"Let's get you out of here, this place is in caos." he said.

"Spike? Is it?" Sethos asked tentativelly. 

Spike cleaned the blade on a nearby curtain and nodded at the Prince.

"You saved my life.."

Spike shruggled. "All in a day's work."

"How can I..."

"Listen, I luv to stay here and chit chat and what have you not, but this place is in flames. I should know. I started it." he said almost proud of himself.

"The portal, we have to close it." Sethos said walking over to were a blue unearthly light had started to expand in the middle of the ritual room.

_Fuck_, He had forgotten about the portal. 

"How do we close it?" Spike said walking behind Sethos.

"My sisters blood." he simply replied.

Spike jumped into action and walked to the limp body of Kamilah. Without hesitation he picked her up and brought her to Sethos.

Sethos stared at the peaceful face. She looked peaceful.

"I'm sorry." Spike murmured as he saw him studying the girl.

Sethos shook his head. "She left us a long time ago." he looked at Spike who looked remorseful. "She wasn't always like this, people change, creatures change." 

"I should know" Spike said.

Sethos studied the man before him. "She must really love you." he noted.

Spike looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Buffy, I mean." Sethos corrected.

A wave of pain hit his chest, he knew the battle was not over, he had to get out of there first, and he was very much mortal now.

"You sacrificed yourself to save her. There is no greater love."

"I don't have a soul." Spike replied.

"No.....you have a heart." Sethos said with a small smile. "We have to get you out of here, Buffy deserves that, at least."

_That I would do anything for love,_

_And I'll be there until the final act _

_I would do anything for love!_

_And I'll take a Vow and Seal a pact _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lawrence was getting tired, for the past few minutes he had bravely fought, and was loosing to the Kueralla Demon before him. The demon was stronger than him, and more skilled. But Lawrence was faster. He knew that this betrayal would not go unnoticed. 

If he made it out of this mess alive, he would be hunted down and killed within the month. 

_Might as well go down fighting._ He thought as the last of his strength gave out.

Angel had seen Lawrence and noted that he was in his final moments. Holding his ax firmly, he cut through the mad mess of fighting demons and the wild fire that was consuming the walls.

They had to get out of there.

_I hope Spike stopped the portal_. He pleaded internally.

Angel saw in a clear helpless view how the demon literally slashed Lawrence in half, sending him crumbling to the floor.

He instinctively ran with his ax in the air and swung with all his might, slicing through the thickening air and severing the demon's head. He watched as it rolled to the ground and his body fell in one big heap to the floor.

He immediately rushed to the young man's side.

He was bleeding like crazy and his skin was already getting cold.

"Lawrence!" Angel shook him.

He slowly opened his eyes to see Angel above him.

"I am dying." he stated slowly.

"I am gonna get you out of here." Ignoring the protest, Angel craddled the body in his arms and headed for the exit.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw an all too familiar shocking blonde head.

"Spike!" he screamed trying to get his attention.

Spike's head immediately shot up. He was literally drenched in blood from all the guards he had killed to make their escape. He saw Angel and dragged Sethos behind him to meet his sire.

"Peaches! Why are you still here?!!" he screamed. 

"You know me being the hero and all." Angel replied.

"Where's Buffy?" Spike instantly asked.

"She's safe." Angel said looking at his blood drenched childe. 

Spike nodded in relief. For a moment he almost searched the crowd for the petite fighting form.

"We must leave. The roof!" Sethos cried from behind Spike.

All three conscious men looked at the roof. It was caving in. With the power of the portal and the fire, it was seconds away from trapping them under the debris.

They raced through the maddening crown trying to pry doors opened, trying not to trip over fallen bodies, trying not to choke on the smoke filled room.

They search and ran, fighting for their lives.

Out of the corner of his eye Angel saw an all too familiar form of a stuffy English man and a name instantly popped into his head. _Quentin Travers_. 

Angel wanted to charge foward as he knew the council had been responsible for the kidnapping, but his thoughts went blank as a large piece of cement fell knocking him out.

_But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way - Tonight -_

_I would do anything for love! _

_I would do anything for love,_

_I would do anything for love,_

_But I won't do that, I won't do that..._

TBC..............................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	10. The Poets Are Silent

The Poets are Silent-

**The Poets are Silent**- part 9 of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Excerpt from _The Fire Next _Time by James Baldwin. Lyrics _Un-break My Heart_ by Toni Braxton. Reference to the _Prince_ by Machiavelli.

-Rated: PG (Adult Content)

-Summary: Ninth part of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Part 9/10.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Most people guard and keep; they suppose that it is they themselves and what they identify with themselves that they are guarding and keeping, whereas what they are actually guarding and keeping is their system of reality and what they assume themselves to be. 

One can give nothing whatever without giving oneself--that is to say, risking oneself. If one cannot risk oneself, then one is simply incapable of giving. And, after all, one can give freedom only by setting someone free."

from _The Fire Next Time_ by James Baldwin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Don't leave me in all this pain_

_Don't leave me out in the rain_

_Come back and bring back my smile_

_Come and take these tears away_

_I need your arms to hold me now_

_The nights are so unkind_

_Bring back those nights when I held you beside me_

_(Sunnydale, CA)_

She stood by the large window staring vacantly at the summer day. Her eyes were sunken and shallow, too many nights spent crying, too many days spent brooding. Lamentation was her middle name. Her small frame looked fragile in the morning light, too many skipped meals, too many visits to the toilet bowl. 

She tried to eat at times, when she could finally feel herself gaining strength, she would eat, heartfully. But then a miniscule speck of a memory, the tiniest fraction of a sentiment and her upchuck reflex would come without warning, leaving her exhausted and weak.

Weak. That's what she hated most of all. The weakness in her limbs, the weakness in her character. She needed to be strong, in control, ahead.

But no matter how hard she tried, how much she tried to push it to the hidden empty chambers of her mind, their faces where still there. Haunting her, accompanying her.

One deep, dark and sorrowful. Reminded her of sad days she had spent crying, getting lost in his embrace. She had loved the way he brooded, loved the way he hurt, loved the way he gave her small smiles when no one else was looking. She had loved his silence, so peaceful compared to the rest of her life. It was not pushing. More like overprotective, and even though she hated it, right now she would give anything to feel the annoyment of his overprotection.

The other face that came to her was that of many expressions. It was wild and strong, so full of life and humor. Bright in its malignancy. So intriguing it left her breathless. It reminded her of the what if's. So many what if's. Her life could have been a roller coaster of wild passion, dark humor, intesity and foolishness. Such sweet combination that it melted in her lips. True surrender of one's view and true acceptance of another's. 

Tears came again to her eyes.

It was because of her.

Because of her they were mere faces in her memories of times past and not solid masses that plague the earth. The smiles were gone, the brooding was gone. They were gone. 

She was still here.

They had left her.

And she was here....alone.

She raised her pale bony hand to wipe the fallen tears from her hollow cheeks, and walked away from a fictitious sunny happy day into the darkeness that filled her room. Slipping into the covers she wrapped them around her and braced herself for another night of what dreams might come.

_Un-break my heart_

_Say you'll love me again_

_Undo this hurt you caused_

_When you walked out the door_

_And walked out of my life_

_Un-cry these tears_

_I cried so many nights_

_Un-break my heart_

_My heart._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

_(London, England- In the Meantime)_

The hot tea settled easy on his burning throat._ Damm Egyptian Desert_. He thought.

The white sauser blended with paleness of his hand that held the china with dear life.

They had told him to be nervous, they had told him to be careful. But he wasn't. The vampire had died in the tragedy and they said the slayer was suffering from post-traumatic stress.

He smiled.

_Not bad._ Not exactly his intentions but the tables had turned to his liking. If she continued in this behavior they would replace her and let her go because of "psychological complication."

He settled by the fire. It was a cold day outside and the large townhouse was quiet. Quieter than normal. That's because he had given his servants the day off. _Good night to relax._

He could hear the light London rain rasping slightly against his window. _Sweet night_. He thought as he reached to the coffee table next to him and pulled out the book he was currently reading.

"The Prince" it read. _Machiavelli was a genius_. He thought.

"...he ought not to quit good courses if he can help it, but should know how to follow evil courses if he must." he read out loud.

He smiled. _Genius._

_//KNOCK//KNOCK//_

The man frowned. _Just when you think the night can get better, one is disturbed!_ He thought insignificantly as he placed down the book and the tea, walking to open the door.

He shivered as the coldness in the hall chilled his bones.

Opening the door he paused and looked at his visitor.

A young man about twenty five stood before him. Pale skin, lean, not very tall but descent hight, strong jaw and hollow cheekbones with piercing blue eyes hidden behind small gold-framed galsses, and wavy trimmed ash brown-blonde hair. He was dressed in light khakis and a dark brown mohair turtle neck topped with a knee lenght brown leather coat.

The young man smiled.

He seemed decent. Though oddly familiar.

"How can I help you?"

The young man continued smiling. "Good evenin', mate. The name's William Winthrop." he paused. "I'm looking for a Quentin Travers, some say I could find him 'ere."

_William Winthrop, were the hell have I heard of that name before?_ The man thought.

"What do you want with him?" the man asked.

"Are you 'im?" William asked raising his dark eyebrow.

The man thought for a second. "If you tell me what you want, I can get him for you. He's a very busy man."

William smirked and gave him a cocky grin. "Got some information." he said taking out a cigarette and lighting it. 

"About what?" 

"Something 'bout an Auction and a Slayer." William said slowly blowing the smoke in the man's face.

The man's heart raced, only a select few knew what happen in Egypt.

"Come on in,......Mr. Winthrop." the man said, opening his door and letting William in.

William smiled and threw out his cigarrette. "We'll thank you for the invitation."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(Sunnydale, CA)_

//RING//RING//

"Anya, can you get that?" Giles asked from the trainning room were he was talking to Buffy. This was her first day back in schedule since the entire Auction dilema.

Giles could see she was trying hard to go back as if nothing happened, but the shadow that covered her was that of grief and agony.

"GILES!!"

Giles frowned. "The girl has no manners." he muttered to Buffy who grinned.

"Yes, Anya." he said loudly.

"It's for you! Something about a council." she screamed.

Buffy frowned, they had thought it possible that the council had been involved in the kidnaping and the Auction but they had no serious evidence and jumping to conclusion might lead to more trouble.

Giles walked to the front of the shop and Buffy trailed behind him. Anya was busy selling chicken legs to a reluctant woman and simply pointed to the receiver that was resting on top of the counter.

Giles sighted.

"Hello?" he said. "Yes, he's speaking. Who's this?..........Oh, to what do I owe this honor, Ferguson?" he asked dryly. 

Pause.

"What?!" he cried.

The customers in the shop pretended not to hear the colorful conversation. Buffy saw the concern in his eyes and walked to stand in front of her watcher.

"Are you certain?........Oh, my!......Well this was certaintly unnexpected..........they what........well.......I must say......Yes it has.....Well thank you for letting me know......right them.....goodbye." He hung up and by that time all the Scoobies that were inside the store were looking at him expectantly to share the news.

"What is it, Giles?" Buffy asked with her hands on her hips, slayer style.

Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, like he did when he was nervous.

"That was the Council," he stated.

"G-man, c'mon, you're killing us!" Xander cried.

"Apparently, the body of Quentin Travers was found this morning in his London home." he said and took a deep breath. "His neck was snapped...." he said slowly.

There was utter silence.

"That's, that's terrible." WIllow said from behind Buffy.

"Do they know who did it? I mean was it forced entry?" Buffy inquired.

"Apparently, no,......nothing is missing." Giles said replaicing his galsses. "But they found a note with a message on it."

"And the note said...." Xander pried.

"Ferguson says the note simple stated 'More than Heaven Allows'" He said looking at the youngsters.

There was silence.

//THUMP//

They were all startled by the sudden noise of Buffy's fainted body hitting the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(London Airport, England)_

The two men stood facing each other before their separate departures.

The tall dark haired one looked at the shorter, platinum blonde one.

"Take care of yourself." Angel said.

Spike smirked and nodded.

"Where you off to, peaches?" Spike asked.

"Just going home to L.A., you know fight crime, save the day on my Angelmobile, things like that." Angel said looking at his childe.

"Tell queenie I say hi." he stated.

Angel gave him his rare grin. "I'll make sure of that." he paused. "How about you? What are your plans?"

Spike looked around and reached for his cigarette, lighting it and looking back at Angel.

"Brazil." he said. 

"Brazil?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, got some short business to take care of there." he said. "And money to do it." Thinking of the seven figure 'donation' the prince had given him.

"How about when you're done?" Angel asked.

Spike smiled and looked at his sire. "When I'm done,....I'm gonna go home." 

Angel smiled. 

"You take care of her." he said. "Anything happends to her and you know I'll kill you."

"I know." Spike said.

Silence.

"It was nice." Angel finally said.

"Just like the good ol' days." Spike said with a glassy look in his eyes.

They stood in awkward silence then from no where Sire grabbed Childe in a fatherly embrace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(Los Angeles, CA)_

She walked out of the bathroom in her fluffly white robe, towel-drying her hair. 

"Dennis, have you seen my new gel? You know the one with advanced vitamin E." Cordilia cried to the thin air.

Magically a blue bottle floated through the air and stopped in fornt of her. She smiled. "What would I do with out you?"

And a light breeze blew through her.

//KNOCK//KNOCK//

She frowned and walked to the door. _God, I hope is not the cute neighbor._

Opening the door, she started looking at the floor, black heavy shoes, black pants, black cashmere sweater, _Nice._ she thought. Black leather coat, pale hands, broody shoulders.

She paused and looked at the face with the RickyMartin hair.

He smiled.

"Miss me?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(Outskirts of Rio de Janairo, Brazil)_

The pale beauty stood on her balcony staring in wonder at the star filled night. She lifted her slender arms to the sky and closed her eyes, breathing in the unessesary air that spoke to her in whispers and songs.

The gods themselves talked to her, and behing her large green eyes, was her evaporated mind that saw more than a creature of the night should. 

She smiled lazily still with her eyes closed and face turned to the sky.

"Fairies told me you'd come back, my pet." She said.

He steped from behind the shadows to acknowledge his opresense. He just wanted to look at her. He loved her when she was like that. It was like watching a dream, a dream filled with illusions of the sane woman that once was her.

"Did they, luv?" he asked looking at her long black hair.

"Yes, and they also told me you're sick." she turned to look at him. She was so beautiful sometimes it took his breath away. So beautiful and so dangerous. "Are you sick, my Spike?"

"Yes, pet. Spike is very sick." He said caressing her cheek.

She leaned into his now warm hand and frowned. "Do you want mommy to make it all better?" She whispered.

He looked into her insane eyes and he felt his heart crumbling once more from the knowledge of his duty. 

"No........you want to stay sick and die." she said pulling her bony face from his pale hand.

"Dru...."

She shook her head in denial. He felt the fumes of anger building up inside of her. "The nasty Slayer.....she's killed my Spike." she hollowed and crumbled to her knees.

He watched as she cried on a heap on the balcony floor. His godess, his princess, the creature that made him the man he was now. Those enchanting eyes and that frail body. The woman he had adored for over one hundred years. Now weaping because he knew he had left her more alone than she ever did to him. He was no longer like her nor did he want to be. She also knew he now loved another. 

The slayer. The creature he had hunted for thousands of days and night, now he would kill if any harm came to her. 

"I am sorry, Dru." he whispered as her body shook in agony. Slowly he brought the murdering piece of wood to the center of her small body back and pushed it through.

She knew what was coming, she didn't prevent it.

When her ashes were adornments on his shoes he shed a tear. One tears for all the nights hunting, all the nights loving, all his wild adventures. 

But he knew that if she lived she would go after him and his soon to be family. He had to prevent it, he couldn't let it happen. He knew his ex-love and what she was capable of. 

So he shed a tear, a tear for all the nights with her, a tear for all the nights to come.

The wind blew her ashes about, sending them flying to mix and mingle with the stars in the sky. Like feries in the night they whispered her goodbyes.

The warrior turned his back on the remains of his old life and walked out into the night.

_The night has a thousand eyes,_

_And the day but one;_

_Yet the light of the bright world dies_

_With the dying sun_

_The mind has a thousand eyes,_

_And the heart but one;_

_Yet the light of the whole world dies_

_When love is done._

**Bourdillon form **_**Light**_

TBC...............................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	11. What Love Intended

They did not talk,

**What Love Intended** -part 10 (conclusion) of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Rated- (NC-17) -Sexual Content

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics belong to Bon Jovi _In These Arms_ and Laura Pausini's _"Solo Dos" -Only Us Two_ (translated by Isabelle).

-Summary: The conclusion of a Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasn't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! Tell me what you think. My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

*Thanks to Trish for Editing the story and for all the great reviews the series have received!*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_You want commitment  
Take a look into these eyes  
They burn with a fire,  
Just for you now  
Until the end of time  
I would do anything  
I'd beg, I'd steal,  
I'd die  
To have you in  
These arms tonight_  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If time would be counted in how many times you enjoy your life, life would be very short. Learning to laugh and smile and breathe in the air around you is a true miracle of this world. Noticing how the leaves on a tree sway with the gentle humming of the breeze. How a lake in all its purity and wonder calls out and dances with the falling rays of the sun. How the fallen particles of dirt run down the worn paths that cover the outskirts of lake.

It you stand long enough in such a silent spot and really listen to the voices of nature you'll find their humming to be mesmerizing and hypnotic. Like you can't get enough, like you're drowning in it's dying sorrow. Softly and tender it tells of times past and long gone by, times of joy and times of affliction, times when minutes stood still as the heart found its way.

In those soft soporific seconds when the clouds vanish from your thoughts and for once in your life you see your path ahead, in those times of complete illumination is when you see your destiny. The destiny that has been prewriten in the sand of times, that calls you by name and knows all about you down to the smallest and darkest secret. To that call in which we answer we shall no longer question or doubt, we shall not be weary or canny. We shall embrace it and hold to our soul that which is real and can be understood, that which says no lies and tells only truth. 

That is what we call our soulmate.

The other part of our immortal being that wanders the earth like you, lost and alone, scared and unsure. Looking at every corner for the slightest chance of discovery of self and truth.

To have such a dialogue is to receive the greatest gift possibly given to man. A moment of true and perfect happiness, a moment when there is an internal peace inside of you. Tranquil as the leaves that sway on the tree with the wind, like the lake calls out and dances with the falling rays of the sun, like the fallen particles of dirt than run down worn paths, like that the soul will sing. In unity and perfect harmony, stretching to meet its mate, its lost comrade, its other half. 

That moment is called love. Love that sings one verse and rhymes one tune. 

There are times in the lapse of time when souls are separated and lost, lost in the warps of time and space, lost by hundreds of human years. In such times the entities must seek alternative measures, measures that guide a fallen soul to its rightful partner. 

The soul was that of William Winthrop. It had been lost, wondering alone and confused in the mists of eternity. But one night four years from the present it had been gently pulled. Not entirely, but ever so slightly. It lost bits and pieces to him who called it unconsciously.

As time went by, more and more parts were pulled, until all that was left was love. 

The deities looked at the mutilated soul and took pity upon its condition. One divinity looked at the other and nodded in silent communication.

Before their eyes the remaining shadow floated to its rightful owner to be with its rightful mate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Baby I want you  
Like the roses  
Want the rain  
You know I need you  
Like a poet needs the pain  
I would give anything  
My blood my love my life_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears in her eyes, not from crying or from joy, but from pure disillusion. They both stood there looking at the floor. What more was there to say? 

Sorry?

If things could be different?

Another time, another place?

"You're my best friend, you know?" he asked her.

She met his brown eyes and nodded. "Who would have thought?"

He gave her his strange and rare smile. "Yeah, who would have." he said in his melancholic voice.

Silence flooded them as memories of their past came forth.

He broke the silence. "I am sorry, Cordy."

A silent tear glazed her cheek and he lifted his finger to wipe it off. She stood still at the feel of his cold hand. His gesture only made her cry more.

He cupped her cheek and kissed her lightly on her trembling lips. "Goodbye."

She watched him walk away, his black coat swinging behind him as he jumped on his convertible and sped off.

Never once looking back, never once a last glance.

Both knew this was the way it was meant to be. He left. 

It was either he'd leave or paste signs for a new live "Temptation Island".

She held her coat tight around her body to warm her cold heart. The tears had stopped flowing but her emotions were as raw as ever.

_Damn that vampire._ She thought as she made her way slowly up the stairs to her own apartment were the only man in her life was invisibly waiting for her.

She opened the door to her apartment. "Honey, I am back."

The silent wind greeted her cheerfully. "Guess it's back to you and me."

The door she had just closed flung open, she turned rapidly to look at the intruder.

And there he was, her best friend.

Her mouth gapped opened but nothing came out. He didn't wait for her to say anything, he just grabbed her and kissed her, leaving her stunned at the intensity of the kiss and at his swift return.

"I....I thought you were leaving." she stammered when she regained her voice.

He smiled down at her "I couldn't stay away." was all he said.

"What about your little.........problem?" she asked in confusion.

"I lost someone I loved because I would not fight for it. I am not loosing another person I love because of it," he said looking deep into her chocolate brown eyes.

A small smile played on her lips. "You love me?" she asked in a shy voice.

He realized he had said it out loud and exhaled, it felt like a large stone had been lifted from his heart. "How can you doubt that?"

She screamed in happiness and threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her up and embraced her.

"Oh Angel, I love you, I love you so much." Cordilia said kissing him.

He threw his head back and laughed, only she could make him this happy. "And we'll work through it, I promise." he said holding her face between his large hands.

"Looking forward to it." she returned his smile and pulled out of his embrace, she grabbed her purse and put on her shoes.

"Cordy, were are we going?" he asked confused.

She smiled up at him and winked. "Shopping."

"Shopping?" he asked placing his hands on his hips.

"Well you know, you boyfriend now, with a nice bank account, gotta dress for the part." she said and walked right by him and through the front door.

He smiled and shook his head. _Only Cordy._ He thought as he followed her happy form back to his car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_If you were in these arms tonight  
I'd hold you, I'd need you  
I'd get down on my knees for you  
And make everything all right  
If you were in these arms  
I'd love you, I'd please you  
I'd tell you that I'd never leave you  
And love you till the end of time  
If you were in these arms tonight_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a quiet night patrolling. Almost as if even the demons themselves knew the slayer was not in the mood. She just wanted to crawl to her bed and be mad, sad, and happy at the same time.

She could just stake him at that moment but again he was not a vampire anymore so that threat did not work. She had to think of something else to hold over his head. 

She reached her house before it started to rain. As she entered the house she stopped in the foyer and turned back to look at the door. Memories of months ago flashed before her eyes.

_"Slayer,......you're shivering." He said noticing her trembling lips and her hands tightly grasping the top of his coat._

_She broke the trance and noticed her shaking body, quivering out of need from the frozen coolness that ran through her body. _

_He moved towards her worried that she might get a cold in all her wet clothes. "Pet, why don't you go change?" he said gently. "You have a date, remember?" _

_"Date,....Riley,..." She murmured to herself. "Oh my God I have a date!" she suddenly realized. _

_"Yes, with your boyfriend, remember?" he asked. "Go change. And get me my box so I can leave you alone."_

_She digested his words. _

_"Ok, wait here, the box is upstairs." she turned from him, still wrapped tightly in the soft leather, that even thought it was wet it smelled of him,.....and that somehow warmed her. _

Buffy shook the tears from her eyes from the memories. God had she been so blind? Did it have to take a prophesy, and so much pain for them to realize they loved each other even then.

She closed to door and walked to her living room and the memories started again.

_She dropped the phone when she found a half naked, wet Spike trying to dry himself up. He got startled and turned to face her. She was sure her face had given her away. _

_She was definetly salivating._

_He was gorgeous. All chiseled and pale, but a beautiful pale, he was lean and looked like a copy of David. All confused, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and satisfy the burning sensation growing between her legs. _

_Oh Shit . Was all she could come up with, all her mind saw was chest, abs, arms, neck, back, ass._

_"Slayer....you're still shakin' like a leaf." he said. "And you dropped the phone."_

_"Yeah, I am gonna go change,....and then I am gonna give you coat,.....and..." she knew she had something else to do but her mind was doing the limbada without her. _

_"da' box?" he asked. _

_"Yes!! Of course, BOX, you want your box, the one my mother left for you, with things, inside the box, and its yours, its upstairs in my mom's room, your box, that is, and now I am a shivering rambling slayer who is about to catch a cold in her own living room._

_"Luv, why don't you change, take your time, I'll be fine, I can wait." he said._

_"I'll be back, I'll.....mmmm,....there might be a shirt that's dry so you can change in to something dry." she said. _

_She bolted up the stairs shivering in cold and embarrassment._

_"Thanks!" he screamed watching her flush further and run in humiliation. _

Buffy let out a small sob as she covered her face with her hands. She knew he was alive, somewhere out there. Angle had called and after she finished insulting him he had told her of Spike's visit to Brazil.

She had been crushed for a second thinking he was going back to Drusilla and thier entire adventure had been nothing but an adventure, a good story to tell your pals but Angel had reassured her that he was heading her way as soon as he finished his 'business' trip.

_We stared at the sun and we made a promise  
A promise this world would never blind us  
These are my words, our words were our songs  
Our songs are our prayers, these prayers keep me strong  
It's what I believe  
If you were in these arms tonight_

She felt relieved but still worried, he was no longer a vampire. Drusilla could kill him easily or turn him twice as fast. The thought had been bile in her throat for days.

It had been three weeks since the killing of Travers and Buffy was growing impatient. She had been impatient from day one, wanting him there and holding him but at this point it was becoming insane.

She would have never thought she would miss him so much. The way he smiled, the way he glared at her, the way they fought, the way she held her, so gently and yet so secure.

She needed him. She went up her stairs to cry out her heart onto the pillow that had dried her tears night after night.

She entered her room and froze.

Every single cell in her body paralized and in harmonious tune stood at hair's end.

There he was.

Dressed in dark blue jeans and his usual black t-shirt. No duster, no combat boots. 

Just the man.

He turned around when he felt her come in and their eyes met.

She noticed the soft humming sound of the radio. On his not so pale hand he held a single white Gardenia. The flower was alive with color, color so pale and so vibrant. Its scent filled the room and clung to the air as the pair of light eyes stared at each other.

Had it been two months since they had looked at each other, since they had communicated with a single glance?

The atmosphere around them sung of wanting and desire. Heat that had never been consumed, ice that had never been melted.

_If you were in these arms tonight  
I'd hold you, I'd need you  
I'd get down on my knees for you  
And make everything all right  
If you were in these arms  
I'd love you, I'd please you  
I'd tell you that I'd never leave you  
And love you till the end of time  
If you were in these arms tonight_

They did not talk, they did not speak, only marveled in each other's presence.

Their bodies ached for the other, a subconscious calling that was very much in control. He grabbed her hand and led her to the middle of her bedroom floor.

She noticed how warm his hand was and instantly felt its warmth in the core between her legs. 

Their eyes locked.

Fire, that was incalescence, unquenchable, unhidable want.

Want so real, for so long restrained that it had become an unstoppable paroxysm, burning and dancing within their blood.

Spike wasted no time he roughly grabbed hold of Buffy's waist, bringing her face within an inch of his. She could smell his breath, he smelled of cigarrettes and hot wings. But it was air, pure lungadic air that shimmered on her hot face.

She savored his closeness, a closeness that she thought, at one time, she would never have.

Never leaving her gaze, he brought his hand and with his thumb slowly traced each of her eyebrows, combing them into perfection.

She held her breath, but somehow it did not control the thumping sound her heart was making and the puddle of need between her legs.

He rested his forehead against hers and brought their noses to touched, she darted out her tongue and licked his lips lightly.

In response, he didn't hesitate, bringing their mouths together. 

Slow, sensious exigency. It was emanating from their pores, filtrating its way to each other's core.

He felt his member throb against the soft material of his jeans and groaned in desire.

Still kissing she brought her hands to explore the wide confinements of his back. Tracing and savoring every lump, every curb, every muscle until she memorized every inch of his back.

He tangled his hands thought her hair finding the soft essence of the back of her warm neck.

He lightly brushed his hands over the baby-hair covered skin, sending her in goose-bumps.

The skin underneath his white palpus radiated a new sensation of incredibility he had never experienced before. She was pure velvet.

A texture so rich, so gratifying, he could just die happy right now.

Her tongue found his soft bottom lip and sucked it gently, leaving Slayer-insured bruises he would soon recover from.

Nectar, he was pure seedless nectar. He tasted like a Marlboro commercial, rough, sexy, and mysterious.

She let out a moan and he new that was his cue.

He pried himself slowly from her embrace and reached out with his Columbus hands to discover what was so great about America. He found it in her hardening nipples that threatened to cut through her light cotton shirt.

Pressing down on each one he began massaging her, bringing her senses into a mix-soup.

She let him pleasure her, it felt agonizingly beautiful. She moaned loudly and he covered her mouth with his to prevent her from making too much noise, the silence was beautiful. Like a dance.

A silent dance.

Ballet.

The tugging, the tearing, the bouncing, the ridding.....the eternal dance of love.

He slowly brought her light shirt over her head leaving her with only a thin red silk bra on. He let go of her mouth and she pouted in disappointment.

He turned her around and brought her bare back to his shirt-covered chest. He lowered his mouth to caress her neck and she leaned towards him to give him better access, entangling their arms.

She raised her hand and grasped his short hair bringing them closer. Spike found the front clipping her her silk bra and expertly unlocked it, bringing her breast to plain and enlightened view.

Sliding the straps from her bare shoulders he reached out and cupped her breast in his warm hands. He started softly kissing her bare shoulders while his hands enjoyed the hard feel of her breast.

Their mouths found each other again and the back to chest contact was not enough, so Buffy swiftly turned around to give her access to the goodies he wanted to play with.

His hands never left her chest as he explored every detail of her mounds, she brought her hands to the bottom of his black shirt and tugged it over his head.

She marveled at his hardness. He let go of her breast to let her do her own exploration. 

Instead of using her hands she placed both hand firmly on his shoulders and brought her mouth to his chest. She placed a light butterfly kiss on each nipple, tempting him with more.

Then lightly licked the tip of each one of the dark circles, pausing to blow a light cool breath on each one. He moaned in need and she smiled at his desperation.

She brought her eyelashes to meet his lower neck and fluttered them against his heated skin.

The feel of the light hairs of her eyelashes sent shivers down his spine. He needed her so badly right at the moment. She darted her small tongue, licking the planes of his chest, and as she licked she blew cool air for his satisfaction.

When she reached his naval, she brought her hands to his bottons. Before she could do anything else. He roughly bent down and swiftly picked her up, stunning her out of a reaction.

He cradled her half nude form and brought it to the bed, laying her gently on the soft flower sheets that adorned her bed. He gazed down at her perfection, her golden perfection and remembered that night so long ago when they were kidnaped. Her jeans had ripped and he had savored her soft flesh with only his sight as a guide.

Never, would he had thought that she would give herself so willingly, so openly, so lovingly to him. Him, a soulless creature, whose heart beat only for her.

She was his existence, she was his sun when he couldn't see it, his night when he couldn't miss it. He cupped her lust-hungry face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. He leaned over her, placing the softest, gentlest kiss on her parted lips. He wanted to show her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him.

The kiss brought forth the realization that she thought he had died. That a week ago, this would only come in dreams. She felt so lucky to have him here with her. Uniting in perfect unison, loving in one spirit, sharing one soul.

She started to cry and reached out to hold him, as if he would disappear. At first he was confused, but then he realized that she had thought him dead. And he cradled her like he had done so many times in the prison. He knew exactly what she felt.

The night he let her go with Angel in the palace, he had prepared himself with the denial of ever having her in his arms again. He was willing for her to go to another's arms! How could the thought even cross his mind?!

She was everything to him and if from death he had to come back to have her like this, he would have done it,... time and time again.

_And these were our words, they keep me strong  
I'd hold you, I'd need you  
I'd get down on my knees for you  
And make everything all right  
If you were in these arms  
I'd love you, I'd please you  
I'd tell you that I'd never leave you  
And love you till the end of time  
If you were in these arms tonight_

Buffy held onto Spike as if he would turn to dust, as if she would loose him again when she had just found him. 

She whispered to his ear. "I love you so much."

He hugged her tighter aginst himself, until both thier cheeks were pressed together and had no where else to go.

"Don't ever leave me again." she said sobbing.

He kissed her crying eyelids and craddeled her face in his hands once more. "I told you I would find you, no matter where. Not even death could've stoped that." he said. "You're mine, Buffy. Mine and no other."

"You're mine," she whispered. "Make love to me, Spike. Show me how much you love me."

With that he didnd't waste any time, and quickly shed their remaining clothing.

Uniting and loving in their climaxes they undeastood meaning, they understood reason. They accepted it without question. The time for questions was gone and lost. It was time for acceptance and understanding. Time to reflect on the future, instead of thier twisted past. 

Time to dream, and time to soar, time for loving, forevermore.

They were enemies, who became partners, who became friends, who sought comfort and became lovers.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_Esta noche te busque, hare el amor contigo, _

_Sonare, dos corazones y un latido_

_Grito a dios que eres mio,_

_Un instante mas y estas llegando_

_Sobre mi, haste que_

_Se confundan nuestros cuerpos, nuetra piel_

_Porque Dos enamorados, Tu y You_

_Nada nos puede separar por esta magia que nos guia_

_Entre tus dias y mis dias_

_Enamorados nada mas, inconfundible uno en dos_

_Las mismas caras es normal _

_Come un espejo, tu y yo_

_Solo dos, con las ganas de sentirse juntos_

_Si, tu y you_

_Conjugando al mismo tiempo el verbo AMAR._

(Tonight I sought you out, I will make love to you, I will dream of two hearts yet one beat, I scream to God that you're mine, in one more instant I will come, over me, until our skin and our body are made one. Because, two, we are in love you and me, nothing could ever separate us, because of this magic that guides us, between your days and mine. We're in love, nothing more, unconfussed one in two, the same faces, like a mirror, you and me.Only two, with the desire to feel togehter, Yes, you and me, calling out at the same time the word Love.)-Translation by Isabelle

_THE END.........................._

(Dont forget to read the Epilogue-10 yrs later)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



	12. Mrs. Winthrop-(Epilogue)

Mrs.

**Mrs. Winthrop- **Epilogue of "All that Heaven Allows Series"

by: Isabelle

-Disclaimer: All of the main characters are owned by Josh Weddon and the WB. Lyrics _Only You _by Louis Armstrong.

-Rated: PG (Language, Adult Situation)

-Summary: Epilogue of Spike and Buffy series. S/B related. Spike and Buffy are taken by a rich underground demon-group with the purpose of being sold in an auction for millions. The plot thickens as they grow closer to each other and try to find a way back home. This story is set right after Season 4, so Season 5 hasen't happened, and **won't** happen.

-Author's Note: Please send feedback! My email is [][1]bih80@yahoo.com

_Special thanks to Karla, Trish, all my reviewers and fans, the entire One good day group, because we are awsome and serve all the naked spikes Jessa has to offer. To my fam and friends for encouranging me to write, to the characters that hold so much life and possibilities and to the fans that have taken time out to send me reviews that have kept me writting, THANK YOU ALL!!!!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Only you can make this world seem right _

_Only you can make the darkness bright _

_Only you and you alone can thrill me like you do _

_And fill my heart with love for only you _

_(Year: 2010, Egypt)_

The room dazzled. High social-elite, fine champagne, expensive caviar. The finest catering available, waiters and maitre'd waltzing around the palace ballroom making sure everyone's needs were attended to.

People stood in mini-groups laughing at each other's jokes and delighting in each other's expensive company. The music was playing a swift tango and the couples relished in the celebration.

Women were dressed in Chloé and Versace and the men whore Armani and Prada. Gucci shoes graced the floor and Cuban cigars filled the room.

She stood out in the crowd. Her golden hair was twisted in a gentle arrangement, surrendering a few strands to frame her face. Her emerald green Oscar De la Renta dress cascaded until it kissed the floor. Backless to her lower waist, sleeveless to expose her gloved hands that held the fine champagne glass, and front low cut to give a hint of cleavage. Her diamond earrings were small but just the right size for her petite frame. 

Her smile was being admired by all the men in the room. She was beautiful. Laughing with two other well dressed older ladies who seemed pleased to get her attention.

He saw her form across the room and started making his way there. Never taking his blue eyes away from her.

_Only you can make this change in me _

_For it's true, you are my destiny _

_When you hold my hand I understand the magic that you do _

_You're my dream come true, my one and only you _

The women stared at him longingly. He was a picture of assurance and radiance. Strong jaw, and clear blue eyes, ash blonde hair, extremely well polished. He was dressed from head to toe in a black Prada suit, that enhanced his strong features and soft mouth. He smoked an exotic brand of cigarette, approaching her like a cat stalking its prey.

She felt when he walked up behind her. She always knew when he was around, perhaps it was the sound of his heartbeat that still mesmerized her or the smell of his cigarettes.

The tiny hairs on the nape of her neck responded to his presence and she excused herself from the ladies, knowing he was coming.

He stared for a moment at her curves,_ All still in place_. He thought with a smile.

She waited when he didn't appear, she frowned, _What game is he playing?_

"Mrs. Winthrop, why the sad face?" he asked coming up behind her.

She turned to face him and smiled. "Detective, what a pleasant surprise!"

"Indeed, tell me Mrs. Winthrop, enjoying the yearly festivities." he asked smoking his cigarrettes.

"I always do, detective." she replied drinking her champagne.

"Really? Then why the sad face?" he asked with a concerned look.

"Well you see, detective, it's my husband." she stated.

"Hmm?"

"Yes, I am extremely worried about him." she said nodding.

"Well tell me Mrs. Winthrop, what's wrong with your husband?" he asked.

"Well," she said almost in a whisper. "Between you and me, I believe he's coming up with some type of flaccid disease."

He arched his eyebrow and looked at her suspiciously. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, to say the least." she said in her best 'damsel in distress' tone. "We have not made love in two hours."

He looked at her "Two hours, you say?"

"Yes." she said nodding and looking at him with her large green eyes. "I am extremely worried."

"Are you now?"

"Absolutely." she said in despair. 

"Well, Mrs. Winthrop." he said putting out his cigarette in the near ash tray. "Tell me, what would your husband have to do to prove his....sexual components....are....unflaccid?" 

She smiled and placed a pensive look. "Well, I would think that first of all he would ask me to dance, then we'll find a open storage room where we'll shag like crazy bunnies, then he'll take me out of this stuffy party and into the elevator where we will go for another quickie. Then we'll call an cab and break the cherry on the back seat while getting to our hotel room where he will order champagne and chocolate covered strawberries and we'll make love until we're both dry and spent." She said taking the last swing of her champagne.

He was looking at her intently.

"Is that so?" he asked amused at her bluntness.

"I suppose that will be the only way." she said with a mock look of despair.

He took the champagne glass from her gloved hand and set it in the near table. Then turned to face her, his blue eyes blazing.

"Tell me, Mrs. Winthrop, would you like to dance?" he asked in a low husky voice when he hear the familiar lyrics begin.

She smiled. 

"I'll be delighted to." she replied taking his hand while he led her to the dance floor.

_Only you can make this change in me _

_For it's true, you are my destiny _

"I know of a spare store room we can use for the good of your cause." he whispered in her ear.

She smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Winthrop, I simply wouldn't know what to do without you."

And they danced,....but not for long.

_When you hold my hand I understand the magic that you do _

_You're my dream come true, my one and only you _

_One and only you_

_.......(~AND AS THEY SAY: LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER~)........................._

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   [1]: mailto:bih80@yahoo.com



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